I can see experience bars after being transported to another world.

"Clatter".

Lu Yuan looked at the two books on the table covered in black slime, and his eyes twitched slightly.

Although this wasn't the first time I'd seen this method of storing books, this kind of "abundant knowledge" in a physical sense was still somewhat hard to accept.

He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the sticky residue off the book cover without any expression.

"Could you try a different way of storing the books next time?"

Lu Yuan complained casually as he wiped the cloth.

The ink swayed on the lamp above, seemingly oblivious to Lu Yuan's commotion, merely rolling its eyes lazily.

"It's good enough to have something to watch, why be picky?"

Lu Yuan ignored Mo Shui's rebuttal, pulled out his chair, and opened the book "The Basic Structure of Rational Barriers".

As the pages turn, the familiar flow of knowledge washes over me once more.

Currently studying "The Basic Structure of Rational Barriers"...

[Primary rationality barrier: Under gradual construction...]

Time passed quietly in the library.

Normally, once the ink has finished spitting out the book, it will go to sleep somewhere, or just pick an expired file and eat it like a cookie.

But today, things are a bit different.

Lu Yuan could feel that Mo Shui's gaze remained fixed on him.

"Splash!"

Ink had somehow ended up on the bookshelf in front of Lu Yuan.

It didn't speak, but tilted its head, its beady eyes staring straight at Lu Yuan.

After a while, it floated onto Lu Yuan's shoulder again.

Like a puppy, it got close and sniffed hard.

"What are you doing?"

Lu Yuan paused in his flipping through the book.

"I'm very busy."

Lu closed the book, turned his head slightly, and calmly looked at the dark shadow on his shoulder.

"If you're hungry, I didn't bring any ink blocks today."

"No ink blots..."

The ink didn't fly away as usual; instead, it drew closer, its voice tinged with doubt.

"A burnt smell...and a rusty smell..."

Ink stretched out its little hand and touched the collar of Lu Yuan's trench coat.

"Have you had any contact with those lunatics from the 'Ascension Society'?"

"Yeah, I ran into her last night."

Lu Yuan nodded and said.

"But you're still alive!"

Ink tilted its head, still showing no sign of leaving.

"Based on my understanding of you, the chances of you escaping from the Ascension Society are almost zero."

After saying that, its beady eyes suddenly narrowed into slits.

This time, its tone changed.

It carried a hint of greed, even an almost uncontrollable excitement.

"No, you smell like something else!"

"Hmm?" Lu Yuan frowned slightly.

What's wrong with this book spirit today?

What exactly did it smell on me that made it refuse to leave?

Moreover, Lu Yuan didn't believe that Mo Shui was just there to mock him.

"You have a very special...smell."

The ink drew circles in the air.

"It was an uncorrupted soul, almost like a...living 'vessel'."

The ink was suddenly brought close to Lu Yuan's nose; the two were very close.

"Where did you hide that 'container'?"

Lu Yuan looked puzzled. What soul and container? What was the ink going crazy about?

"There are no such things. Also, I suggest you be more direct in your speech."

His ink-black, beady eyes narrowed, and he finally spoke:

"Exactly, you have the scent of echo on you!!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuan instantly understood that it referred to Mina.

"How could Ink be able to accurately deduce Mina's presence and talent from his aura in such a short time?"

"That's one of my new patients."

Lu Yuan neither denied it nor said anything more, simply replying, "What, do you want to eat it?"

Although ink may seem harmless, Lu Yuan never forgot that it is essentially a supernatural being that feeds on knowledge and spirituality.

"Eat? Bah! My food contains only knowledge, I don't eat people!"

The ink waved its hands repeatedly, while its paper wings flapped incessantly.

"You wouldn't believe it, that talent is like a mobile cafeteria for me!"

It pointed to the towering bookshelves around it, its tone full of resentment:

"Do you know how long I've been here? Years! I'm about to throw up from staring at these moldy, tattered papers every day!"

"I want to go outside and play! I want to see the world!"

"But we book spirits can only stay in places with knowledge. Once we leave this library, I will die from the depletion of knowledge within half a day at most."

The ink grew increasingly excited as it spoke, pointing to the aura emanating from Lu Yuan:

"But the echo is different; it can hear the voices of all things, which in itself is a continuous source of 'knowledge'!"

"As long as I follow her, I won't have to worry about starving! I can even leave this awful place and get some fresh air!"

The ink floated back onto the table, and those beady eyes darted around, revealing a cunning look.

"Let's make a deal, Lu Yuan."

"Take me to see that person, and I can tell you some secrets you can't access right now, or do something for you."

Lu Yuan stopped turning the pages of the book.

He looked up at the ink in front of him.

This was an unexpected surprise.

If I could get this librarian to leave, even temporarily, it would be a huge help to me.

"For example?"

Lu Yuan asked calmly,

"Do you know about the Iron Whale files? The source of that deep blue ore?"

Lu Yuan tentatively asked what he wanted to know.

However, the moment I heard those words...

The cat, who had been enthusiastically working on the ink, suddenly bristled as if its tail had been stepped on.

It suddenly retreated, covering its head with its two wings, and then pretended not to hear.

"How could I possibly know? And do you want to die?!"

"What? Are you scared?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly, seeing Mo Shui's strong reaction.

"This isn't fear! It's the rule! We book spirits are not allowed to reveal certain knowledge!"

"If I reveal even the slightest clue to you, I will instantly break down."

"And you..."

Ink looked at Lu Yuan with the gaze one would give a dead man.

"As the one asking the question, you will be directly drained of your life by the taboo along with me on the spot."

"So don't even think about it, you'll definitely die if you do."

"Doesn't that mean you can die together with any enemy?" Lu Yuan grasped the key point and asked with great interest.

Upon hearing this, Ink couldn't help but flap its wings a few times.

"You're overthinking it. The knowledge I impart only works if the other person has a thirst for knowledge first."

"If I were to insist on revealing taboo knowledge, I would die the moment I opened my mouth."

So don't even think about it.

Lu Yuan stroked his chin and nodded, but inwardly he felt a pang of regret.

If possible, capturing more book spirits would make us invincible.