After millions of years in the library, I became an Immortal Emperor.

"Ding!"

"You have read ten volumes of books, and you have gained a year's worth of cultivation!"

"You've been granted one opportunity for a Kendo deduction exercise!"

"I've obtained a Breakthrough Pill!"

……

Lin Fan put down the book in his hand and looked at the young man in front of him who was carrying a bag and had a serious expression on his face.

"Lin Fan, are you really willing to stay in this library forever, just to waste your precious youth surrounded by these books?"

Lin Fan was slightly taken aback, feeling somewhat helpless.

"Reading makes one wise, enlightened, and virtuous. One can pacify the world with martial prowess and educate the world with literary skills. In my opinion, there is no difference between them."

The young man looked even more disappointed and exasperated upon hearing this.

"Do you still remember that you are the heir apparent of the Prince of Zhennan's mansion?"

"The Prince of Zhennan's mansion is gone," Lin Fan said.

"The Prince of Zhennan led his army into the barbarian territory for ninety thousand miles, killing countless barbarians and protecting millions of our human beings. What heroic spirit he displayed! How come you haven't learned any of it?"

"But he still died."

Lin Fan said calmly. He had heard these words from many people over the years. "A son of a general" was probably what they were talking about.

"Lin Fan, I truly feel sorry for the Prince of Zhennan."

"Heroes from all over the world join the army to follow the Prince of Zhennan and fight for humanity. You, as the Prince of Zhennan's heir, are only willing to cower in this library. How can you face the Prince of Zhennan?"

"On the day the Prince of Zhennan died in battle, the entire Prince of Zhennan's mansion followed him. How tragic and heroic it was! How could such a cowardly person like you have emerged?"

"Is reading, no matter how many books you read, useful?"

The young man said angrily, his face full of disappointment, and then turned and left.

Lin Fan watched his retreating figure and shook his head slightly.

Reading is certainly useful.

Lin Fan looked at the system panel.

Name: Lin Fan

Age: 27

[Cultivation Level: First Level of Celestial Realm]

[Talent: Unparalleled Through the Ages]

[Kendo deduction opportunities: 11 (unused)]

[Chance to comprehend the origin of destruction: One opportunity (unused)]

[Chance to comprehend the essence of thunder: One time (unused)]

……

Reading can lead to a state of transcendence.

In the vast world of Xuanhuang, countless races coexist, and martial prowess reigns supreme.

Cultivation levels are divided into Body Refining Realm, Spirit Connection Realm, Core Formation Realm, Divine Platform Realm, Divine Connection Realm, Creation Realm, Celestial Realm, Dao Severing Realm, Saint Realm, Great Saint Realm, Quasi-Emperor, and Emperor Realm.

The Celestial Realm is the pinnacle of the human race across the Nine Provinces. Humanity has no Saints, and the Dao-Slaying Realm is already equivalent to a Human Emperor. There are only nine such individuals in the entire Nine Provinces.

Among all races, the human race only ranks among the top one hundred. The so-called Nine Provinces of the human race are just a corner of this world. Lin Fan is in Qingzhou, one of the Nine Provinces of the human race, which is controlled by the Great Tang Dynasty.

Beset by external and internal troubles, the human race's situation is very worrying.

"I never imagined that humans were so weak."

He had been in the library for seven years and had heard and seen that in the battles between humans and other races, humans had lost nine out of ten battles, and their living area had shrunk with each defeat.

His only major victory was seven years ago when his father defeated the barbarians in the southern region of the Tang Dynasty, but in the end, the entire Zhennan Prince's Mansion was destroyed.

Having lived in this world for twenty years, he had only seen his father a few times, as he seemed to be constantly on the battlefield. No wonder he was so revered.

"In such a vast land as the Nine Provinces, there isn't even a single Sage. And there probably aren't enough Sages; at least an Emperor Realm expert would be needed. So be it, at least we haven't been wiped out yet."

Lin Fan then looked at the library behind him.

Fortunately, there were enough books in the library, and in seven years I only read less than a tenth of them.

Let it develop slowly.

The barbarian tribe alone has put humanity in a precarious situation, not to mention the even more powerful races that are eyeing us covetously. Who knows how many powerful individuals are hidden among those races?

The Celestial Realm is far from enough.

Although the library is remote, it is quiet and, most importantly, safe.

Geniuses are common, but how many survive? Most are just flashes in the pan.

A few years ago, the Tang Dynasty produced a so-called genius who appeared only once every three hundred years. He reached the Core Formation Realm in his early twenties, but he died mysteriously in his mansion just a few days later.

The imperial court was shaken and ordered the Dali Temple to conduct a thorough investigation, but the matter was dropped after a period of time.

"Lin Fan, one of the three orphaned sons of the Prince of Zhennan, came to the capital of the Tang Dynasty seven years ago and entered the library. He dislikes cultivation but loves reading. His current cultivation level is... Body Refinement Level 1."

Threat rating: Level 9, it is recommended to stop paying attention.

Outside the library, a middle-aged man in a gray robe quietly watched Lin Fan inside, writing these lines on a piece of paper in his hand.

Then he frowned, as if sensing something, and his figure vanished.

A moment later, another old man came here.

He stood outside the library for a long time, hesitating for a long time, and finally let out a long sigh.

"The Princess named you Lin Fan, Your Highness, perhaps hoping that you would live an ordinary life and live a peaceful life. That's fine too, at least you will leave a bloodline for the royal family."

"The Prince of Zhennan's mansion still has this old servant and the two princes; that's enough."

He said this, then bowed respectfully to the library before leaving.

Lin Fan stood in front of a row of bookshelves. He paused slightly when he heard the old man's words, but then he became engrossed in the book again.

Reading can make you stronger, but he also enjoys reading.

Because of his status as the heir of the Prince of Zhennan, many people paid attention to him, including the major clans of the Tang Dynasty, the Tang imperial family, and spies from foreign tribes planted in the Tang capital.

However, these people gradually left.

Lin Fan's life was too simple, monotonous, consisting of reading, eating, and sleeping, through spring and autumn, year after year, showing absolutely no threat.

Many alien races described Lin Fan with just two words: mediocre.

Spring passed and winter came again. The young man who left the library finally sent back news, but it was news of his death. Another race, the Stone Clan, had joined the siege against the Human Race.

He died on the battlefield against the Stone Clan.

The borders of the Tang Dynasty were further encroached upon, and more humans were slaughtered without anyone knowing. But these things had become commonplace; wars between all races were, after all, a world where the strong prey on the weak.

"Squeak—"

The gate in front of the library courtyard was pushed open a crack, and a dark figure crawled in through the crack, then quickly disappeared into the snow.

Then he peeked out and surveyed the scene in the library courtyard.

A nine-story library stands in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by a wall made of gray stone, several meters high, enclosing the library.

The courtyard was covered in snow, and the walls were overgrown with weeds and vines, indicating that it had been a long time since anyone had cleaned it. A withered banyan tree stood on one side of the library.

A deckchair sat under the tree, next to a small table with a pot of tea steaming on it. A young man in white lay quietly in the tea.

"Someone..."

The shadowy figure crouched even lower, and it could only be vaguely made out that it was a young boy, thin and frail, with tattered clothes and some bloodstains.