Borrowed Black Spirit Ring, Returned White Spirit Ring

In the eyes of Su Muyun, however.

She had never intended to take back the Spirit Ring she lent to Ye Xiao.

At the same time.

Being returned the Spirit Ring by Ye Xiao in front of everyone.

This action was inherently fine.

But in the eyes of the surrounding students, this matter.

Became something problematic.

Su Muyun did not care about the gazes of those around her.

However.

Facing the fact that Ye Xiao was returning the Spirit Ring.

She felt very uncomfortable inside!

It was an indescribable feeling of discomfort.

Su Muyun's tone carried a hint of irritation.

"Fine, give the Spirit Ring back to me."

"Here."

Ye Xiao handed over the black Spirit Ring.

Only to be snapped at directly by Su Muyun.

"You returned the wrong one! Mine is the white Spirit Ring!"

"Huh?"

"Huh what?" Su Muyun's tone grew increasingly shrewish, "The black Spirit Ring is such a large band, could my finger even fit in it?"

"Obviously, this white Spirit Ring is the one I lent you!"

Ye Xiao was left completely bewildered by Su Muyun's behavior.

"But this black ring is clearly the one you..."

"Hurry up and give the white Spirit Ring back to me!"

Then.

The white Spirit Ring in Ye Xiao's hand was forcibly snatched away by Su Muyun.

After snatching it, Su Muyun walked away without looking back.

Leaving Ye Xiao standing there all alone.

In his palm remained the black Spirit Ring that Su Muyun had given him.

And this white Spirit Ring.

Originally belonged to Ye Xiao, but now it had fallen into Su Muyun's hands.

This behavior of theirs seemed to be called...

Exchanging rings?

Just as Ye Xiao was feeling puzzled.

The whispers of the people around them started up again.

"This E-rank Martialist trash is truly a shameless person!"

"Su Muyun must have felt sorry for him and lent him a Spirit Ring to use!"

"This guy is too calculating! Su Muyun lent him the white Spirit Ring, and he wanted to keep it, coveting the Spirit Ring Su Muyun had used, and then return a black Spirit Ring instead!"

"Tsk tsk tsk! This guy actually wants a toad to eat swan meat, not knowing that Su Muyun would never possibly fancy him!"

"Does he think that by pulling these little stunts in public, he can make others misunderstand their ambiguous relationship?"

"Impossible! I'd sooner believe the world is ending tomorrow than believe he could ever win over Su Muyun."

"Hahaha, well said!"

"..."

To the people around them, they had just watched a farce of a toad wanting to eat swan meat.

After watching, the crowd dispersed, each going about their own business.

Ye Xiao stared at the black Spirit Ring left in his palm.

He thought to himself: "Does this mean I have drawn a line between myself and Su Muyun now?"

"She shouldn't be angry or troubled because of my affairs anymore, right?"

As Ye Xiao thought this, a smile of relief appeared on his face.

"Originally there was nothing, where could the dust settle?"

"I must focus on cultivation and improve my strength, rather than wasting my energy on women!"

Women only slow down the speed of one's punch!

This principle was already a golden rule in the world Ye Xiao lived in before he transmigrated.

Ye Xiao cast aside all distracting thoughts and walked into the library before him.

Upon entering the library, the first thing one smelled was the scent of paper.

It was not the ink smell of new paper, but the scent of old paper—a smell carrying the breath of time, having been baked by the sun and dampened by the rain.

It was like walking into an ancient forest; every book was a tree, and every page was a ring of growth.

The first floor was the open reading area.

Beneath the massive dome stood dozens of rows of towering bookshelves, stretching from the floor all the way to the ceiling.

The bookshelves were made of dark walnut, their edges worn smooth and shiny.

At the top of each row of shelves were bronze plaques engraved with categories: General History of Martial Arts, General Theory of Professions, Spirit Energy Theory, Continental Geography...

Between the shelves were narrow aisles, wide enough for only two people to walk side by side.

The floor was covered in dark blue carpet, making no sound when stepped upon.

The spots by the windows were the most sought after.

Beneath the massive arched windows were rows of long tables made of thick oak, their surfaces polished to a sheen by countless sleeves.

The morning sunlight slanted in through the windows, casting a grid of light and shadow across the tabletops.

Some people were reading, some were transcribing, and some were dozing off.

There was only the sound of turning pages and breathing; it was as quiet as another world.

Ye Xiao wandered around briefly but did not find the books he was looking for.

Thus, he headed toward the second floor.

The second floor of the library was divided into specialized zones for various professions.

For example, there were the Mage Zone, Weaponry Zone, Summoning Zone, Qi Refining Zone, Martialist Zone, and so on.

The first four zones had full bookshelves, bright lights, and new tables and chairs.

People occasionally entered and exited; though not many, there were at least some.

But the Martialist Zone was different.

It was in the furthest corner, blocked by a wall, looking like a forgotten storage room.

The books on the shelves were sparse, and most of the space was empty.

The dust was thick, as if no one had been there for a long time.

The lighting was dim, and several lamps were broken and left unrepaired.

When Ye Xiao first walked in here, he stood before the shelves, looking at the few scattered books—Martialist Introduction, Illustrated Basic Fist Techniques, Twelve Methods of Physical Cultivation...

These were all introductory, superficial, and useless books.

He slid his finger across the spines, leaving a trail in the dust.

"Does no one read these?" he muttered to himself.

And just then.

A voice suddenly popped up unexpectedly from behind him.

"The school has no martialists. Body tempering is bitter and exhausting, so why would any students come to borrow these?"

Ye Xiao turned around quickly and was startled to see an old man with gray hair, wearing reading glasses and holding an old book in his hands.

"Who are you, sir?"

The other party didn't even look up: "A freshman?"

Ye Xiao nodded: "Yes."

The other party replied: "I am the library administrator. Students like to call me Elder Qian."

"Elder Qian." Ye Xiao added politely.

The librarian asked: "What books are you looking for?"

Ye Xiao answered truthfully: "I want to find some books related to the World Scar."

"World Scar?" The librarian looked up, pushed up his reading glasses, and re-examined the boy before him.

"At your age, it is too early to come into contact with the World Scar, though it is rare to see a student like you who is interested in it."

"What do you intend to do by learning about the World Scar?"

Ye Xiao replied: "I plan to enter [Rift No. 17: Crimson Abyss]."

The top floor of the library was the Ancient Texts Reading Room.

It is not open to ordinary students.

Only the dean, professors, mentors, and students of the Genius Class have the authorization to enter.

Furthermore, an appointment must be made three days in advance, subject to the dean's approval.

The school's most precious classics are housed within.

There are historical secrets, ancient manuscripts, and even lost cultivation techniques, as well as fragments of ancient scrolls unearthed from the Rift ruins.

These books are locked inside glass cabinets; they can only be viewed, not touched.

Next to each book is a plaque detailing its origin, era, and historical value.

But now, the librarian has brought Ye Xiao inside.

"The books you requested regarding the World Scars are here."

At this moment, Ye Xiao looked at the book the librarian handed over.

The title was clearly written on the cover.

Introduction and Distribution of World Scars