The mysterious figure disappeared without leaving behind the slightest trace.
Lin Chen kept his gaze fixed on the ruined tower for several moments before finally looking away.
Whoever that person was...
They were definitely stronger than ordinary survivors.
Su Yao slowly lowered her guard.
"They're gone."
Lin Chen nodded.
"For now."
The stranger's appearance had left an uneasy feeling in his heart.
Until now, most of the people he had encountered were ordinary players, Zhao Feng's alliance, or Ling Yue.
This hidden observer was different.
They hadn't attacked.
They hadn't spoken.
They had simply watched.
As though they were evaluating him.
Lin Chen stored the thought away.
There would be time to investigate later.
Right now, the Legendary Treasure Chest was more important.
He walked toward the golden chest.
Ancient runes slowly floated around its surface.
Even after thousands of years, the treasure remained perfectly preserved.
Without hesitation, Lin Chen opened it.
Golden light erupted into the sky.
Several notifications appeared.
Legendary Treasure Chest Opened
Obtained:
- High-grade Spirit Stone ×300
- Legendary Weapon Blueprint ×1
- Ancient Library Key ×1
- Azure Crystal ×20
The familiar golden light immediately followed.
10,000× System Activated
The rewards instantly transformed.
High-grade Spirit Stone ×3,000,000
Legendary Weapon Blueprint → Mythic Weapon Blueprint
Ancient Library Key → Ancient Library Master Key
Azure Crystal ×200,000
Lin Chen smiled.
The system had never disappointed him.
Among all the rewards, one immediately caught his attention.
The Ancient Library Master Key.
Unlike ordinary items, it radiated a faint silver glow.
He examined its description.
Ancient Library Master Key
Allows the holder to access every floor of the Ancient Azure Library.
Grants permission to read restricted records.
A restricted library?
Lin Chen exchanged glances with Su Yao.
She nodded.
"My Talent has been pointing somewhere beneath the city."
"The library?"
"I think so."
Without wasting another second, they began searching the plaza.
Several minutes later, Su Yao stopped beside a broken statue.
"This is the place."
Lin Chen activated Abyss Sight.
Sure enough.
Blue energy gathered beneath the statue.
He pushed the enormous stone aside.
A staircase slowly appeared.
Cold air drifted upward from the darkness below.
A notification appeared.
Hidden Area Discovered
Ancient Azure Library
Experience +2,000
The two descended carefully.
The staircase continued for nearly ten minutes before finally ending.
An enormous underground hall appeared before them.
Thousands of bookshelves stretched into the darkness.
Ancient crystal lamps illuminated the library with soft blue light.
Dust covered almost everything.
Yet strangely...
None of the books had decayed.
"They're protected by some kind of formation."
Su Yao gently touched one of the bookshelves.
"The knowledge survived."
Lin Chen slowly walked between the shelves.
Books filled every section.
History.
Alchemy.
Smithing.
Ancient Languages.
Monster Records.
There were tens of thousands of volumes.
At the center of the library stood a circular stone platform.
An ancient pedestal rested there.
Lin Chen inserted the Master Key.
Click.
Golden light spread throughout the library.
One bookshelf slowly separated.
A hidden room appeared.
Inside stood only one book.
Unlike the others, it floated in the air.
A notification appeared.
Chronicles of the Azure Civilization
Lin Chen carefully opened the book.
The first page contained a single sentence.
"The world before the Great Flood belonged to countless civilizations."
His breathing slowed.
He continued reading.
Thousands of years ago...
Humanity wasn't alone.
Giants.
Elves.
Dwarves.
Sea Spirits.
Dragonkin.
Dozens of intelligent races had existed together.
Then disaster struck.
The Void invaded.
Cities fell one after another.
Entire continents disappeared beneath the sea.
The surviving races united under several Divine Inheritances.
Among them...
The Sea God.
Lin Chen turned another page.
A familiar image appeared.
The Ancient Abyss Beast.
Unlike the murals he had seen before, this illustration showed the beast carrying an entire continent upon its back while protecting millions of people.
Beneath the picture, another sentence was written.
"The Guardian of the World."
Su Yao quietly read beside him.
"So it wasn't just a giant monster..."
"It was protecting civilization."
Lin Chen nodded.
Everything finally made sense.
The Golden Heaven Dragon.
The Sea God Temple.
The Ancient Abyss Beast.
None of them were enemies.
They had always been guardians.
Another page immediately caught his attention.
"The Seven Divine Inheritances."
His eyes narrowed.
Seven?
Not one.
Not two.
Seven.
The Sea God was only one of them.
Below the title were several faded names.
Sea God.
Heaven Spear.
Flame Emperor.
Nature Queen.
Three others had become too damaged to read.
Lin Chen immediately thought of Ling Yue.
Her inheritance was likely the Heaven Spear.
That meant at least two Divine Inheritances had already found successors.
How many others existed?
Before he could continue reading...
The entire library suddenly shook.
Books fell from nearby shelves.
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
A warning appeared.
Intruders Detected
Several footsteps echoed from the entrance.
Lin Chen immediately closed the ancient book.
Su Yao activated her Talent.
Her expression changed.
"There are many."
"Players?"
She nodded.
"More than twenty."
Lin Chen frowned.
No ordinary players should have found this place so quickly.
Unless...
"They followed us."
Just then, a voice echoed through the library.
"Come out."
"We know you're inside."
The voice sounded confident.
Arrogant.
Another followed.
"The Ancient Azure City belongs to the Azure Crown Guild."
"Hand over every treasure you've found."
Lin Chen couldn't help laughing.
He looked at Su Yao.
"Looks like the first guild thinks they own the continent."
Su Yao smiled faintly.
"They're about to learn otherwise."
Lin Chen stored the Chronicles of the Azure Civilization inside his inventory before slowly turning toward the entrance.
The Ocean Emperor's Trident appeared in his hand.
The peaceful exploration...
Had officially come to an end.
To Be Continued...