When I woke up, I wanted to go home.

Led by the tall, stern-faced palace eunuch, Zhu Chongjiu sped forward like a shooting star burning with intense light. Before long, they arrived at a magnificent, imposing building, as majestic as a towering mountain.

This single building was simply the largest structure Zhu Chongjiu had ever seen in his life! It resembled a colossal behemoth built of massive stones, standing firmly on the earth. From a distance, the building appeared as a perfectly square structure, its length, width, and height roughly estimated to be over a thousand meters. Its tall and wide walls resembled an indestructible city wall, giving off an aura of unshakeable majesty.

The building's exterior is painted a vibrant, fiery red, resembling a blazing flame or a giant red box overturned on the ground from afar, radiating a dazzling light that immediately draws attention. Under the sunlight, the fiery red color becomes even more dazzling and radiant, as if the entire building has been imbued with life and soul.

Finally, the palace eunuch led Zhu Chongjiu to a massive mahogany gate and stopped his hurried steps. The eunuch, like a loyal guard, stood solemnly and dignifiedly. He first took a deep breath, then slowly reached out his hands towards the exceptionally wide and heavy-looking mahogany door. With a low, muffled sound, the door began to slowly open…

The moment Zhu Chongjiu stepped into this library, it was as if he had entered a treasure trove of knowledge. He was surprised to find that dozens of trees, bestowed by heaven, stood in the center of the library, like giants guarding knowledge.

All the books were neatly arranged on the four walls. The palace eunuch explained to Zhu Chongjiu, "Due to the scorching temperature of the Flaming Mountain Continent, ordinary writing materials, whether paper or animal hides and bones, cannot withstand the erosion of time. Over time, they will gradually crack like dried flowers, eventually becoming fragile and easily broken."

So the sages of the Flame Empire racked their brains and finally came up with a brilliant plan: they planted some Heavenly Trees in the center of the library, and every day a special person would release a spring of clear water from the Heavenly Trees, which would nourish the library like sweet rain and greatly increase the humidity inside. In this way, the books in the library could be preserved for a long time, like sleeping treasures.

At the same time, because the books on the Flaming Mountain Continent are as precious and rare as priceless treasures, the Imperial Palace Library carefully preserves almost all the classics, which has resulted in the library's vast collection of tens of thousands of volumes.

After Zhu Chongjiu finished learning about the library, he dismissed the palace eunuchs. Looking at so many books, his initial excitement gradually turned into sorrow!

With so many books, it would take forever to read just the descriptions and table of contents.

Besides, I am not a person who likes to read.

I was forced to read books in the library of the Wizarding Academy in Viter City back then!

Having just arrived in this world, I didn't want to reveal my identity as an outsider and urgently needed knowledge to fill the gaps in my understanding of this world, which is why I hid in the academy's library for several months.

At last!

Since Zhu Chongjiu was already there, he began to formulate his own reading and study plan.

Firstly, the primary reason for reading is to "search for the history of this world in order to deduce and understand deeper knowledge about it."

In plain terms, it means that if you know the details of a matter thoroughly, you can find better solutions when you encounter difficulties.

The second reason is partly related to the first: to see if we can find a way to leave this world from some clues.

The third reason is that since it is the Flaming Mountain Continent, there must be records of the Source of Fire. Let's see if we can find a way to use and return the Source of Fire.

In order to unleash the full power of this source of heaven and earth in future battles, and to keep it as a reserve for future use when returning it to the source of fire.

After Zhu Chongjiu formulated these three important reading plans, he rejected the first two!

Zhu Chongjiu felt from the bottom of his heart that the first two points were basically impossible to achieve.

If the first two points are true, they would likely only exist in the secret texts of the Peace Chamber of Commerce; the other five continents could not possibly exist.

Without looking at anything else, just look at the records and legends that have existed since the great war between humans and gods ten thousand years ago. There have only been those who came to this world from the outside world, and there has never been any record or legend of anyone going from this world to the outside world.

Then we can only start looking from the third point!

Five days later, Zhu Chongjiu felt dizzy and saw stars.

Over the past five days, Zhu Chongjiu has read no fewer than five thousand books without sleep, but he hasn't found a single one he wanted to read.

After Zhu Chongjiu finally couldn't hold on any longer, he lay down next to Xiao Hei, who had followed him in, and fell fast asleep.

Zhu Chongjiu was awakened by a nightmare after sleeping for an unknown amount of time. In his dream, his parents fell ill and were bedridden because of his sudden disappearance.

His wife also lost her will to work and cried every day!

Zhu Chongjiu opened his eyes as his daughter cried out for her father.

After Zhu Chongjiu opened his eyes, he looked at the ceiling of the library, wiped his tear-stained eyes, and sat up.

Xiao Hei, who was lying next to Zhu Chongjiu, then spoke up to Zhu Chongjiu, "Brother Jiu, if you can't find the book you want to read, why don't you ask the staff here?"

I don't think they could just leave all the books lying around in such a huge library, right?

Upon hearing what Xiao Hei said, Zhu Chongjiu was momentarily stunned, and his previous sorrowful and grief-stricken emotions vanished instantly.

He raised his hand and slapped himself hard!

"Damn, that's incredibly stupid!"

She turned around, grabbed Xiao Hei by the neck, and said fiercely to Xiao Hei, "Why didn't you say so sooner? Why didn't you say so sooner?"

Look at me, all idiot, jumping around here looking for books to play with?

Little Black used its tiny paws to pat Zhu's hands and said with difficulty, "Ninth... Ninth Brother!"

Let go, let go, ah.

My brother is going to die.

Zhu Chongjiu played around with Xiao Hei for a while, then let go of Xiao Hei.

Little Black rubbed its neck with its little paws and said somewhat aggrievedly, "After you sent the palace eunuch away, you were talking to yourself all by yourself!"

As for making plans, numbering one, two, three, etc., I just fell asleep because I was bored!

When I woke up, I saw you jumping around and I knew what you were up to. But just as I was about to tell you, you fell asleep next to me again.

That's why I told you as soon as you woke up!

I haven't dared to sleep at all, just because I was waiting for you to wake up!

After hearing Xiao Hei's aggrieved words, Zhu Chongjiu chuckled and stroked Xiao Hei, then apologized to the person.

After all that commotion with Xiao Hei, Zhu Chongjiu's initial sadness over the dream had improved considerably.

He immediately shouted at the staff of the library who were watering the Heavenly Tree, "Call your library manager over, I need to talk to him!"

Less than a quarter of an hour later, a person with gray hair and a thin body, who looked different from the people of the Flaming Mountain Continent with their fiery red hair and strong bodies, came to Zhu Chongjiu's side!

The newcomer did not speak, but simply bowed to Zhu Chongjiu with his hands clasped.

Zhu Chongjiu looked at the old man in front of him, drawing on his past experience reading novels and watching TV dramas!

In a very important department, the most extraordinary people are just as extraordinary as the most ordinary people.

Zhu Chongjiu returned the greeting respectfully and asked the old man with a smile: "May I ask your name, senior? I have something I would like to trouble you with!"

Upon hearing Zhu's question, the old man quickly returned the greeting and hurriedly replied, "I dare not address you as a senior; I am merely an ordinary manager of this library."

Moreover, the Fire Emperor had already instructed me to follow Ninth Brother's orders.

After hearing the old man's reply, Zhu Chongjiu thought to himself, "I can't sense this old man's cultivation level. He's just like an ordinary old man without any cultivation at all."

On the other hand, in a world where martial arts reign supreme, would they really put an ordinary old man in charge of such an important place?

Even those who watered the Heavenly Tree were all at the Emperor level.

Besides, the old man can't even reach books that are over two meters tall, so how can we manage them?

After Zhu Chongjiu had made his own deductions, he spoke to the old man and said, "Senior is too modest. I would like to ask where the books on fire magic are kept."

This library is so big, if I have to search through it book by book, it will take forever!

After hearing Zhu Chongjiu's words, the old man pointed to a section of a wall and said, "This section contains 3,180 books of fire-based cultivation techniques at various levels."

After speaking, the old man lowered his arm and remained silent.

Zhu Chongjiu glanced at the direction the old man was pointing, then looked at the old man again, and then asked, "Senior, where are the records about the Sacred Flame? I'd like to take a look!"

When the old man heard Zhu Chongjiu mention the Sacred Flame, his body suddenly moved almost imperceptibly, and at the same time, a trace of his inner strength was revealed!

However, Zhu Chongjiu had already caught this almost imperceptible moment.

The old man glanced at Zhu Chongjiu, then pointed to a corner at the very top of a wall, saying, "There are two records about the Sacred Flame there!"

After I finished speaking, I watched as he lowered his arm and began to remain silent, standing there quietly like a servant.

Zhu Chongjiu looked at the old man, but instead of asking any questions, he smiled and said, "Senior, would you please help me take it down?"

I am old and frail and can no longer climb to such a height. If Ninth Brother is unwilling to take it himself, then I will find a steward to help him take it down!

Immediately, the old man said to one of the people who was watering the Heavenly Tree, "Ah Da, come and get the books for Ninth Brother!"

Seeing the old man's behavior, Zhu Chongjiu lost patience and could no longer play along.

Looking at the old man, he reached out to stop the steward, known as Ah Da, who was about to approach, and said to the old man with a playful expression, "Alright, senior!"

I've been calling you "senior" so sincerely, why are you still putting on an act with me?

If I didn't have some skills, would I have been able to get into your library?

Can one freely view and browse through these hundreds of thousands of volumes?

I don't have time to beat around the bush with you, so you better be straightforward with me!

I don't know your identity or status, but I feel that you must know that Huoyan wants to get something from me.

Since you want me to help your Flame Empire solve its problems, then cooperate with me readily.

Just take the matter of me giving the Glazed Sacred Fire Tree to your Flame Empire for free, you should be more sincere.

Stop trying to pull all sorts of tricks all day long!

People should know how to be grateful, otherwise they will suffer retribution!

As soon as Zhu Chongjiu finished speaking, the old man, who had been appearing calm and collected, finally focused his gaze entirely on Zhu Chongjiu for the first time. In that instant, an overwhelmingly powerful aura erupted from the old man's body!

Zhu Chongjiu's heart skipped a beat. He felt as if the seemingly ordinary old man before him had suddenly transformed into an insurmountable mountain, its immense aura sweeping towards him like a surging ocean wave. He inwardly marveled: this old man was definitely the most powerful cultivator he had encountered since setting foot on the Flaming Mountain Continent, even slightly surpassing the previously renowned Huo Yan!