CHAPTER 166: RECOGNITION AND SUDDEN CHANGE

"Indeed. I've sensed it. The Dark Ritual codex has appeared once again—another worthy existence has emerged. However, since I don't have any agreement with this newcomer the way I did with Fang, I shall not hand over the codex."

Samuel circled Wang Yu to confirm that he wasn't the one to cause the Dark Ritual codex to reappear.

"Don't you have full control over this library? Can't you manipulate whatever's within? You can appear and disappear at will—can't you sense the location of the codex?"

Wang Yu returned the tome of Material Shaping to the bookshelf as he turned to Samuel.

"I do have absolute control over this library. After all, these books are manifestations of knowledge that I have mastered. However, the Dark Ritual codex is an exception. More accurately, I'm forcibly keeping it here with my will."

Wang Yu was shocked by the response to his casual question. This entire library's knowledge was Samuel's sin truth? Just who was this librarian?

Samuel seemed to be in a talkative mood, and he launched into an explanation about the codex.

"This codex was left behind by the legendary wizard Roland. Its full name is 'Dark Ritual: Door to the Liminal Void.'

"The abilities granted by this tome, such as the one it offered you for converting between fighting spirit and void energy, are merely byproducts of its true power. Despite having been chosen by the tome myself, I'm unable to grasp its contents. Isn't it ironic?"

Roland again... This wasn't the first time that Wang Yu had heard this name. This legendary wizard was known as the person who had been closest to unlocking the secrets of the void in all of recorded history, and he had left far too many mysteries behind.

"Then are you aware of the keys that Roland left behind?"

Wang Yu thought for a moment. He didn't know just who Samuel was, but the librarian surely possessed far more knowledge about the world than he did. This was an excellent opportunity to learn about secrets.

"The keys? Those are Roland's creations, just like the Dark Ritual codex. His thirteen keys were meant to identify a suitable successor to his legacy. No one knows why Roland decided to give up on his life after reaching such superlative heights, but it's clear he wasn't yet satisfied with his exploration of the void.

"Both the codex and the keys serve the same purpose: to seek out those with the necessary talent and worthiness to inherit what he left behind. The codex contains his knowledge, while the keys lead to the physical remnants of his legacy.

"The codex teaches one how to connect the material world with the void, and the thirteen keys combined form the pathway leading to Roland's true creation—where one can directly grasp a fragment of the void itself. That hallowed location is known as ‘Roland's Vault.'"

Samuel calmly explained a secret of Roland's legacy.

"Most records of Roland today are little more than rumors. How did you come by all this information?"

Wang Yu was somewhat familiar with Roland, though most of what he knew was from Avia. One thing was certain: over eighty percent of recorded accounts about Roland were fabrications, and the remaining twenty percent were vague and largely useless. Almost nothing written about Roland was reliable.

"He told me himself. Is there a problem with that?"

Samuel turned his hooded head toward Wang Yu. Though his face was hidden from sight, Wang Yu had a strong feeling that Samuel was glancing askance at him. What Samuel said left him speechless.

Wang Yu smacked his lips. It was obvious Samuel was no simple figure, but for him to be so extraordinary as to have known the legendary Roland personally...

"He was always like that. He never spoke clearly. Before he disappeared, he told me about his search for a successor and entrusted me with his Dark Ritual codex. He knew how much I loved knowledge, so he must have been certain that I would keep it safe—until someone worthy to become his successor appeared, or until I was willing to hand it over to another. Unfortunately, even though this library is about to close, I still haven't fully grasped the information within the codex, and I can't bring myself to give it away. In the end, I suppose Roland chose poorly in leaving it with me."

Samuel continued talking about Roland and his legacy. When he mentioned outwitting Roland, Wang Yu could detect a hint of amusement in his tone.

He had always thought of Roland as a research-obsessed loner with no social ties. But from the way this librarian spoke, it seemed Roland had quite a personality.

"As for those thirteen keys, he didn't tell me much beyond the fact that their thirteen wielders would have the right to compete for what lay within the vault.

"Whoever obtains the treasures within the vault will receive not power but rather limitless potential: a direct path to legendary growth and beyond. It is no exaggeration to claim that they would stand at the peak of this world."

Samuel's final words about the vault's treasures stirred Wang Yu's heart. A path beyond legends? That was truly something to covet. Legend-ranked beings were exceptionally rare among humanity.

At this level, sheer numbers no longer mattered. A single legendary figure could stand against an entire army or even rival a dragon—that was the extent of the power they wielded. And a realm beyond legends might very well intersect with the domain of the gods.

"No wonder he's a legendary figure recorded in human history. Even what he left behind holds such immense power..." Wang Yu sighed in genuine admiration.

"Hmph. I only told you all this because you seem like an interesting guy. I still don't know how you managed to awaken the Dark Ritual codex last time, but considering what I've heard about the outside world from Fang, this knowledge about Roland is undoubtedly priceless. Consider yourself lucky, kid."

"Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Mr. Librarian."

Wang Yu gave Samuel a respectful bow. He had indeed received a great deal of help from this occasionally irritable librarian.

"I'll have to go find whoever's been recognized by the codex. I don't plan to give it to them, but since this library is about to close, I might as well leave them a little keepsake."

Samuel terminated the conversation with Wang Yu as he floated off.

Just as Samuel was about to leave, an unusual spatial fluctuation suddenly emerged beside Wang Yu. A crack, glowing faintly from within, appeared in midair. The fissure expanded gradually, forming a floating rift.

At first, the opening was unstable, its edges irregular and fluctuating. But after a few seconds, the unstable contours settled, forming a rectangular portal with a semi-transparent screen of light revealing the space beyond. It looked like... a teleportation gate.

"Wang Yu!"

Avia's voice came from within the portal. Moments later, she stepped through. She wore a short magician's robe, her ponytail swaying behind her, and held a tome in her hands.

"This is...?" Wang Yu pointed at the portal, which was now starting to destabilize again. When had Avia learned this spell?

"This spellbook, The Gate of Phases, should contain the knowledge I'm looking for. It's a very useful tome—it describes how to use magic to deconstruct space. Creating portals is just among its simplest applications... Oh, is that the librarian?"

Avia was exceptionally excited as she showed the Gate of Phases to Wang Yu. However, to Wang Yu, the tome was nothing but a blur—he couldn't even see its title. The girl soon noticed the floating figure beside Wang Yu: the librarian, Samuel.

"Call me Samuel. You managed to comprehend this book on spatial magic within ten hours?" Samuel glanced at the portal behind Avia as it gradually collapsed and dissipated.

"There are still some parts I haven't fully understood, but judging a person's location based on spatial fluctuations and creating portals accordingly is now within my abilities."

Avia was somewhat wary of Samuel. She wasn't familiar with this mysterious librarian, but since Wang Yu was unfazed, she figured there was no immediate danger.

"Remarkable talent indeed. You would be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the individuals I know."

Samuel nodded, offering Avia rare praise for her success.

"Thank you, Mr. Samuel." Avia dipped her head politely.

Avia had no idea how extraordinary "those individuals" Samuel referred to were. She simply accepted the compliment, though Wang Yu suspected they were probably some of the most renowned figures in human history.

"This library will be opening for the last time. It would be a shame for this tome to fade into silence with me. Consider it a small gift—you may take it with you when you leave," Samuel said casually. As this vast repository of manifested knowledge was about to close forever, its librarian—and master—seemed to become unusually generous.

"Thank you, Mr. Samuel!" This was an unexpected and astonishing boon.

As he watched Avia converse with Samuel, Wang Yu grew even more curious about Samuel's identity. His vast knowledge was borderline terrifying—someone with such mastery shouldn't be completely unknown in human history, yet Wang Yu had never heard of anyone like him.

As he observed Avia, something suddenly caught the corner of his eye. On a nearby bookshelf, among the indistinct, unreadable tomes, one title stood out clearly. It was a tome Wang Yu had seen before...

Stepping forward, he reached for it and pulled it from the shelf.

"Mr. Samuel, look at this." Wang Yu lifted up the tome and gestured for Samuel to examine it.

"Hmm? This is... the Dark Ritual codex?"

Samuel instantly appeared beside Wang Yu, taking the codex from his hands. He stared at it for a few seconds before turning to Avia.

The codex hadn't been anywhere in the vicinity during his conversation with Wang Yu, but it had appeared the moment Avia arrived with her spatial portal. It was clear just who had summoned it.

Of course, this outcome was within Wang Yu's expectations. Avia was the most gifted wizard he had ever encountered, bar none.

"Have you seen this book before?" Samuel asked Avia, an unreadable expression on his face.

"This Dark Ritual tome? I've noticed it several times while searching for other spellbooks. It seemed to be everywhere. Is something wrong, Mr. Samuel?"

The girl tilted her head in slight confusion. She hadn't heard Wang Yu and Samuel's prior conversation, so she didn't understand why he was paying so much attention to this particular book.

"Did you not notice how this book affected you? This codex was left behind by Roland. Why didn't you study it?"

Samuel's tone grew increasingly awkward. He hadn't expected Avia, after summoning the Dark Ritual codex, to simply ignore it and instead focus on The Gate of Phases—a valuable spellbook, but one nowhere near as significant.

"This is by Roland? I see... I did notice something. When I first saw the tome, it transmitted some information to me—apparently, reading it would grant insight into the mysteries of the Void, revealing the connections between the material world and the void itself. This book feels like a gateway between the void and reality."

Avia thought for a moment before sharing her experience.

"Then why didn't you choose it?"

Samuel asked seriously.

"Why? For one, when I was granted access to the Grand Library, I had already decided what knowledge I was seeking—spatial magic, like what's written in The Gate of Phases.

"Furthermore, when I first encountered the codex, it conveyed some foundational knowledge to me, but some of its explanations about the Void contradicted what I currently know. It also didn't match the data I gathered through my own research.

"Even if this codex truly holds the immense power it claims, I would still prefer to study the void on my own. Since it claims to reveal the 'mysteries of the void,' as a researcher, I believe it should only serve as a reference. More importantly, I want to uncover the truth myself.

"To sum it up, my time here is limited. While the 'mysteries of the Void' are tempting, they aren't what I need right now. The Gate of Phases is what will actually help me."

Samuel fell silent. Avia's reasoning bore some resemblance to Wang Yu's—both had dismissed the codex as "unsuitable." However, Avia's reasoning had another layer to it.

She sought her own understanding of the void. Perhaps it was simply because she didn't know Roland's reputation, but her desire to conduct her own research was clear.

Knowledge shouldn't be blindly accepted. Samuel suddenly wondered—was Roland necessarily right about everything, after all?

Had he been mistaken all along? Ever since acquiring the Dark Ritual codex, he had treated it as the foundation of all his research. But had he ever truly studied the void on his own since then?

He loved knowledge, but had he allowed it too much control over him?

These two individuals, who seemed to know each other, were quite fascinating. Perhaps he should have realized this truth earlier. If he were still the proud scholar he once was—one who had even surpassed Roland in certain ways—he surely would have made this realization long ago.

He had placed too much weight on the Dark Ritual codex. It had become more than just knowledge to him. Unfortunately, by the time he first obtained it, he had already ceased to be human. His body, mind, and identity had all changed, granting him infinite memory and access to knowledge—but erasing something fundamentally human in the process.

"Take this codex. It would be meaningless for its knowledge to vanish with me."

After a long silence, Samuel stretched out his hand, offering the Dark Ritual codex to Wang Yu.

"I recall you received a permit from the academy to take one physical item out. Avia's spellbook is my extra gift. As for you—apologies, but I insist that your choice be this codex. You interest me, and with you, this codex won't simply fade away with me."

Seeing Wang Yu's stunned expression, Samuel practically shoved the book into his arms.

"Ah, thank you..."

Wang Yu gingerly held the codex, unsure why Samuel had suddenly changed his mind. Considering how valuable it was, however, he wasn't about to refuse.

"You actually gave that tome away? Samuel, you old relic—you really have changed. To part with something left behind by Roland, right before you fade... How sentimental."

A voice interrupted them. Wang Yu, Avia, and Samuel all turned toward the interloper, a figure who stepped out from between the bookshelves.

Wang Yu recognized both his voice and appearance: it was Daniel. However, the aura of the void radiating from him made it clear that this wasn't the Daniel they knew.

"The information this body gave me was indeed correct. It would be impossible to summon the Dark Ritual codex without the amplification of talent provided by the key. You must be the final key..."

A cold yet indifferent voice came from Daniel's body. A pitch-black fissure split open in his chest, from which ominous void energy continuously seeped outward.

A figure with graying hair used both hands to pry open and widen the fissure, tearing apart Daniel's body as he emerged from within. His gaze locked onto Avia.