Chat group, if you have anything to say to my Holy Sword,

"I have no idea," Xiling thought to herself.

The man smiled and suggested, "You're from out of town, aren't you? If you don't mind, I can be your guide. Calso is a very large city with many rules, and it's easy for things to go wrong without a guide."

Xiling had originally intended to refuse, but recalling what she had witnessed last night and the pass she received this morning...

"We definitely need someone to be our guide, in case we break any laws and end up in jail," Xiling thought to herself, a sheepish smile returning to her face.

"Thank you for your help. As for the payment, just name your price."

"Sigh—" The man let out a soft sigh that seemed to carry a hint of helplessness. He waved his hand and said, "Among so many people, you chose me. This can be considered a rare fate. There's no need for payment."

The man paused, then his tone became genuinely inquiring, "If you could, please tell me your name. It's more valuable than gold coins."

"How can I not pay you? Wouldn't that be making you waste all that time you've spent on me?" Xiling felt that the other person was getting more and more strange. Could it really be that kind of person?

Xiling suppressed her inner turmoil and answered honestly, "Also, my name is Xiling. What's yours?"

“Xiling…” the man repeated the name, his voice not loud. As the name was uttered, the curve of his smile revealed an indescribable sense of satisfaction. “What a… good name.”

The male protagonist paused briefly, as if only then realizing his rudeness, and gave a slight bow: "I forgot to introduce myself, how impolite of me. My name is Ute. It's a pleasure to meet you, my friend."

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Ute.” Xiling extended her right hand politely.

A handshake is the most basic courtesy, isn't it?

Ute was visibly taken aback when he saw Xiling's outstretched hand, but the momentary pause was quickly forgotten. He then extended his own hand and firmly grasped Xiling's.

Ute smiled and asked a very abrupt question: "How happy are you?"

“…?” Xiling was taken aback by the sudden question.

What's this all about? Xiling's mind raced, and she decided to defuse the awkward atmosphere with a lighthearted joke: "Hmm...maybe a little happier than you being with me?"

However, Ute shook his head: "That's probably a bit difficult. Meeting you, Xiling, is one of the happiest things that have happened to me in all these years."

The air seemed to freeze for a second. Xiling's smile froze.

"Huh?" Xiling's mind was already racing with complaints and warnings.

One of the happiest things?

We've only known each other for less than five minutes!

Dude, your lines are way too cheesy... way too inappropriate! Are you sure it's not *that* kind of line?

But to be told "I'm happiest" by a handsome guy I've only known for five minutes, with a mysterious and somewhat eerie aura, is quite a shock.

Xiling withdrew her hand without making a sound. Although it was... well, anyway, it was him... well, you know.

He respected Xiling.

Ute seemed completely oblivious to Xiling's subtle movement, or perhaps he sensed it but didn't care. He watched Xiling pull her hand away, smiled, and his laughter carried a hint of mischievous slyness: "Hehehe... Relax, my friend. It's just... a little joke."

Ute adjusted his monocle over his right eye, then turned and pointed in a direction deep within the city, where the outlines of several towering spires could be vaguely seen: "Then, let's set off. I will take you to one of the heart of Calso City—the Library of Time."

It is hailed as one of the world's top ten libraries.

"Now I will lead you here."

Seeing Ute already taking steps forward, Xiling... followed without hesitation.

Something's off about the other person; their behavior from the very beginning has been off.

But... so what?

alert?

careful?

Scared?

There's no need for that. Moving forward, constantly advancing, facing danger head-on, and paving the way—that's what Xiling should be doing.

If it encounters someone with ill intentions and intends to put their plans into action, the Holy Sword's edge will never cease to gleam...

Ute, who was walking ahead, clearly caught the sound of footsteps following without hesitation, and a silent, elusive smile appeared on his lips.

......

The sheer size and prosperity of the city of Calso exceeded Xiling's expectations. Countless novel things piqued Xiling's curiosity, while Ute, walking ahead, dutifully performed his role as guide, introducing Xiling to all sorts of new and interesting things.

Xiling pointed to a car by the roadside. He had wanted to ask this question for a long time: was there something wrong with the technology tree of this world? "Ute, what's that?"

Ute glanced at it following Xiling's finger and said, "Oh, that one."

Ute's tone carried a hint of nostalgia, "In the ancient times when magical craftsmanship was extremely advanced, they were collectively called magical devices, intricate creations powered by magical cores. But now..."

Ute shrugged. "It seems like 'technology' is more popular now? As for the specific name..."

"It seems to be called an energy vehicle."

"Energy vehicle? Why don't you call it a car?" Xiling muttered to herself, but didn't ask any more questions. She guessed that someone had invented it. There's no shortage of creative, imaginative, and capable people anywhere.

"It's not impossible that a time traveler came to this world and invented this project."

The closer you get to the city center, the stronger the magical pulse of that prosperity becomes.

The enormous crystal suspended above the city's central square, like the beating heart of Carthus, radiates a powerful yet steady magical glow.

Xiling could clearly sense that it was not a chaotic dissipation of magic, but an energy flow that had been precisely edited by some extremely sophisticated technique or magic.

An invisible force, like a pre-programmed sequence, flows precisely through unseen conduits to key nodes throughout the city, triggering the operation of countless large-scale magic arrays:

For example:

Clear water flows silently into the crisscrossing city waterways.

The soil in the public gardens and planting areas is nourished by a gentle magic, maintaining incredible fertility.

Tiny runes lit up on the exterior walls of residential buildings and shops, providing a constant energy for lighting, warmth, and even defense.

Those liquid-like, luminous "light strips" on the street.

The vast amount of energy required to operate this enormous city actually comes mostly from this one giant crystal!

It's practically a gigantic, super-efficient magic generator, supporting the lifeline of the entire city.

"Isn't this a waste?" Xiling thought to herself.

To maintain such a scale of magical output, what an incredible energy source would be required?

Just then, Ute, who had been walking ahead, suddenly spoke, his tone carrying a scholarly inquiry and admiration: "Isn't it magnificent? The 'Stella Crystal,' a brilliant crystal born from one of the four ultimate projects of the Dawn Kingdom, can theoretically achieve a near-perpetual motion machine effect within the limits of its radiation range—energy circulates perfectly within a closed system, almost inexhaustible." Ute stopped, tilted his head slightly, and looked at the huge crystal radiating endless light and heat, his monocle reflecting the crystal's brilliance.

“Of course,” Ute changed the subject:

"What you see before you is just a fine replica. Its functions naturally cannot compare with the original, but even so, it can still achieve the core function: within the relatively closed and huge 'system' of Calso City, most of the released energy is captured again through the recycling arrays that are spread throughout the city, and guided back to the crystal itself for reprocessing and utilization, forming a powerful internal cycle."

"However, since it is a replica, it needs to be replenished with 'magic essence' every two years, just like a giant magic battery that needs to be charged regularly."

"But this is ridiculous!" Xiling shouted in her heart.

Xiling tried hard to suppress her shouting and yelling like a country bumpkin.

Ultimately, all the turbulent shock could only be reduced to a seemingly calm but inwardly turbulent sigh:

"That's really... amazing."

“Yes, it really is amazing…” Ute’s gaze lingered on the Stella crystal, a strange glint flashing in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant. Turning his head back, Ute’s signature smile returned to his face as he looked at Xiling.

“Let’s go, my friend,” Ute said, stretching out his hand and pointing in a certain direction, “The Library of Time is right there…” His words trailed off.

The smile froze on Ute's face, his eyebrows furrowed, and his expression darkened visibly.

With a mixture of doubt and worry, Xiling asked, "What happened, Ute? Or... are you feeling unwell?"

Upon hearing Xiling's words, Ute turned his gaze away from the distance and refocused on Xiling.

He was silent for two seconds...

Finally, an apologetic smile appeared on Ute's face, and he spoke with a hint of embarrassment:

"Excuse me, my friend, I just... saw an acquaintance I haven't seen in years, and some unexpected situation arose. I have to leave immediately to deal with it."

"I am extremely sorry that I cannot continue to guide you. Please do not take offense."

Xiling waved her hand, "Not at all! I'm the one who troubled you with leading the way for so long. Thank you so much today, Ute. I'll treat you to a meal sometime to properly thank you. If you have urgent business, go ahead and don't delay!"

Ute smiled and nodded, then pointed to a building. "That's the Library of Time you're looking for! Its main entrance is at the end of that avenue over there! Well then, I'll have to excuse myself now!"

After leaving those words, Ute turned and walked towards the crowd, slowly disappearing from Xiling's sight.

Xiling stood there, looking in the direction where Ute had disappeared, and then looked in the direction Ute had just looked—a few merchants hurrying by, an old man leisurely walking his pet lizard, a couple intimately cuddling together...

"They're leaving in such a hurry, could it be an enemy?"

Unfortunately, no matter how Xiling looked at it, the crowd remained calm and unmoved, and no clues could be found.

"Never mind," Xiling shook her head and looked away.

"In any case, I still want to thank him for helping me find the library."

Xiling took one last look at the enormous crystal before turning and walking toward the vast library.

I asked the library staff where they had any history books.

Xiling began searching for the information she wanted, but when she arrived at the historical area the other party had mentioned, she couldn't help but gasp when she saw what was in front of her.

Row after row, layer upon layer, stretching to the horizon, each shelf is densely packed with enormous books of various bindings, astonishing sizes, and thicknesses far exceeding ordinary imagination.

"There are so many! Where do I even begin?" Xiling walked forward with a worried look in her eyes, looking at the books that were thicker than her own face.

Xiling took a deep breath.

"Everything is difficult at the beginning, but there has to be a beginning."

Xiling, her expression grave, reached for a rather thick-looking book, but before her hand was even halfway there, a male voice, carrying just the right amount of concern and kindness, sounded beside her:

"Excuse me for interrupting, but you seem... to be troubled by something and looking for a suitable starting point?"

"Perhaps I can offer a little help? Could you tell me which story, buried by time, you are looking for?"

Eh?

Xiling turned around in confusion.

A stranger with dark hair and a gentle smile came into Xiling's view.

Chapter Seventy: New Group Members Join

Xiling looked at the man who appeared beside her with a puzzled expression, while the man smiled and responded to Xiling.

"May I ask who you are?" Xiling asked, puzzled.

The man walked up to Xiling and spoke in a gentle voice, seemingly natural: "Me? I'm a regular here. I saw you looked troubled earlier, so I thought I'd see if there was anything I could do to help. I hope I haven't bothered you."

Xiling waved her hand, "No, no."

Xiling scratched the back of her head somewhat embarrassedly: "I came here to look for some historical materials, but I didn't expect..."

Xiling looked at the bookshelves, her voice tinged with helplessness, "How many are there?"

The man chuckled twice, glancing at the bookshelves before saying, "There are quite a few, but they are also proof of the development of civilization, a testament to the past."

The man took down a book and opened it: "This world has existed for a very long time, and its development has been very rapid. Before I knew it, I had several more history books! Wow! This...this is quite creative."

The man seemed to see something offensive, and his gentle smile crumbled. Only after closing the book did his smile return.

Seeing the change in the other person's face, Xiling asked curiously, "What did you see?"

The man put the book back in its original place, his tone somewhat helpless. "Some recent issues concerning the magic society."

"Oh, oh," Xiling nodded.

Seeing Xiling's expectant expression, the man's smile deepened. "So, is there anything I can help you with? I know this library quite well."

Xiling stroked his chin thoughtfully. He wanted to know so much, including everything about this world.

After thinking for a moment, Xiling finally said what she wanted: "Probably something like the recent world situation."

Xiling didn't know if such a book even existed, and besides, who would normally look for such a book?

However, the man actually found a book on the bookshelf, a book that didn't seem very thick compared to the other books.