"Wake up! Hey!"
A stinging pain flared across his face, as if he had been slapped.
Lu Yuan snapped his eyes open, gasping for air.
The familiar ceiling of the Nightwatchers Library came into view, along with the book spirit Ink hovering right at the tip of his nose.
Ink looked completely different now.
The black patterns that usually flowed across its body were boiling violently, and countless words swirled around its thin frame. Just looking at it made Lu Yuan feel an extremely dangerous aura.
At that moment, Ink held a pen made of script, poised right above Lu Yuan's eyeball. If Lu Yuan had woken even a second later, that pen might have plunged straight in.
Seeing the clarity return to Lu Yuan's eyes, Ink's tense body suddenly relaxed.
The black mist within its beady eyes slowly dissipated.
It put away the bone pen, and the patterns on its body gradually settled, returning to their original appearance.
"Consider yourself lucky to be alive."
Ink huffed, its tone still carrying that characteristic snark, but Lu Yuan caught a hint of irrepressible relief beneath it.
"If you really were corrupted, I would have had to go through the trouble of dragging your corpse out. I have no intention of letting you stain my library."
Lu Yuan touched his stinging cheek and sat up.
Looking at the prickly little creature, he suddenly smiled.
"Thanks."
"Who wants your thanks! Just remember to bring double the ink blocks next time!"
Ink grumbled as it flew back to the top of the bookshelf, grabbing a book and taking a savage bite out of it to hide its embarrassment.
"Honestly, you've got some nerve, stepping onto a transcendent pathway in a place like this. Weren't you afraid that knowledge might come looking for you on its own?"
Lu Yuan stood up, stretching his stiff limbs, and asked, "Knowledge can come looking for you?"
Ink looked at him with pure disdain. "You really don't know anything? Didn't Old Morgan tell you?"
Lu Yuan shook his head. Old Morgan had indeed mentioned nothing of the sort.
"That old fossil really deserves to die! I think he's not just blind, but his brain is rotted through too!"
Ink couldn't help but roll its eyes.
"Anyway, as long as you're fine. Go back and ask him yourself."
Lu Yuan didn't mind Ink flying off. He realized the sensation of weakness in his body had vanished, replaced by a clarity he had never experienced before.
He looked around. The once-gloomy library now appeared full of countless pulsing streams of information.
Subconsciously, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the black box Old Morgan had given him.
He pulled back the black cloth.
The piece of ice tundra ghoul meat lay quietly inside.
But in Lu Yuan's current vision, it was no longer just a piece of meat.
【Item: ice tundra ghoul (juvenile) forelimb muscle】
【Characteristic Analysis: Contains trace amounts of frost toxin; muscle fibers contract when exposed to heat.】
【Forbidden Lore: Specialized Research activated...】
【Extractable Formula: Combine with "salamander powder" and "distilled water" to attempt crafting a "temporary freezing potion." Highly effective against combustion-type mutations. Formula success rate: 4%.】
Lu Yuan's pupils constricted slightly.
Was this the power of a Polymath?
Not only could he see through the essence of things, but he could also directly obtain formulas? Although the success rate was a bit low...
"Well, it doesn't matter. I've only just begun to touch upon actual knowledge, and besides, this test should be over..."
Lu Yuan closed the box, a confident curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
He straightened his clothes and strode out of the library.
...
The Material Management Room.
Old Morgan remained in the same position, holding a magnifying glass to study the stone.
Hearing the door open, he looked up with some impatience. "Is the four hours up? Go back, come again tomorr—"
His words cut off because Lu Yuan placed the black box on the table.
"Ice tundra ghoul, juvenile, inner forelimb muscle."
Lu Yuan's voice was calm, his pace steady. "The characteristic is residual frost toxin. This thing is afraid of fire, but if used for medicine, its toxin has miraculous effects and can neutralize most side effects."
Dead silence fell over the room.
The magnifying glass slipped from Old Morgan's hand, hitting the table with a clatter.
His clouded eyes stared fixedly at Lu Yuan, as if he were seeing a ghost.
"You... you've stepped onto a transcendent pathway?" Old Morgan's voice held a hint of disbelief.
"Yes." Lu Yuan pointed to his head. "I obtained something quite good in the Hall of Knowledge."
Old Morgan was silent for a long time.
He suddenly stood up, rounded the table, and walked over to Lu Yuan, looking at him as if he were a rare treasure.
"A genius... no, this is a monster."
Old Morgan muttered to himself, then suddenly grabbed the phone on the desk and dialed a number.
"Mary! Get here! Now! Redo that 'newcomer' file of yours! This kid... this kid is a natural 【Eerie Scholar】!"
...
Ten minutes later.
Mary rushed into the office, her high heels clicking loudly.
When she finished listening to Old Morgan's explanation and confirmed that Lu Yuan had completed an introductory test—one that usually took others a month—in just eight hours, her gaze toward Lu Yuan changed completely.
As a transcendent herself, Mary knew exactly what this level of 'talent' signified.
If she had previously viewed Lu Yuan as a 'fellow with some potential,' she now saw a future transcendent scholar.
"Lu Yuan."
Mary took a deep breath to calm herself. "We will re-evaluate you and provide a new plan afterward."
"However, before that, you'll need to stay here for a while."
Lu Yuan nodded noncommittally.
To be honest, Lu Yuan hadn't wanted to expose his transcendence so openly, but he hadn't expected the process to cause such a stir.
Moreover, he had advanced right there in the Nightwatchers Library.
The most critical factor was that the book spirit had seen it.
But since things had reached this point, rather than being secretive, it was better to display his worth and let the Nightwatchers re-evaluate his value.
Of course, there was another point: the moment Lu Yuan stepped onto the path, his Sanity had remained unchanged.
Lu Yuan didn't know what this meant, but he was certain the 'Strange Dreams' on his body might be a massive problem.
Whether in the church or the Hall of Knowledge, there had been no reaction to the presence of the 'Strange Dreams,' except for that shadow's final comment about blocking the gaze of the Outsiders.
Lu Yuan knew he might not be able to solve the 'Strange Dreams' on his own, so he wanted to see if the Nightwatchers could.
And... Lu Yuan did not plan to reveal his infection with the 'Strange Dreams.'
First, his situation was delicate; the talent he displayed was absolute, but he lacked the strength to match it. Once the Nightwatchers knew he was infected, there were only two possibilities: they would dispose of him, or they would use it as leverage to force him to become their pawn.
Second, Lu Yuan discovered that his 'Strange Dreams' didn't seem to have infected anyone else yet.
This included Thomas and Brent, which made Lu Yuan even more curious about what kind of affliction the 'Strange Dreams' actually was.
Setting aside these thoughts, Lu Yuan planned to use this time to ask Old Morgan about the things he didn't yet know about the transcendent pathways.
Old Morgan was a bit embarrassed when asked, as he hadn't expected Lu Yuan to advance so suddenly. After all, it had taken him two full years to reach that stage.
And that was only after nearly ten years of accumulation that he managed to barely step onto a Knowledge Pathway.
When he gave the test, he had merely wanted to see Lu Yuan's affinity for knowledge while letting him study properly.
He never imagined Lu Yuan would just... transcend.
Therefore, many important details hadn't been explained clearly.
Old Morgan was thick-skinned enough to cover his embarrassment with a few words.
"There are indeed things to watch out for when stepping onto a Knowledge Pathway."
"For instance, when advancing, you need a specific environment. Take my pathway, 【Mechanics】, as an example. To step onto this path, one must master the structures of at least a hundred specific items."
"Furthermore, you must be well-versed in related mechanical knowledge. Only then is it possible to transcend."
"Before the breakthrough, you also need to construct an environment suitable for 【Mechanics】. This environment is extremely important."
"It doesn't just help you advance; more importantly, it prevents knowledge pollution. Knowledge is the foundation of transcendence. The moment you step into the Hall of Knowledge, your soul is like a blank sheet of paper. If you are polluted by certain knowledge at that moment..."
"At best, you become a fool. At worst... you degenerate into something eerie."
Old Morgan seemed to recall something, and his expression turned grim.
"But fortunately, you were in the library when you stepped onto 【Eerie Lore】. Although the knowledge there is complex, it's relatively safe with Ink present."
Hearing this, Lu Yuan realized his luck had indeed been quite good.
"I guess I should bring Ink some more ink blocks."
Lu Yuan thought to himself as he asked a few more questions until Mary opened the door.
She pulled out a chair and sat down, her expression serious. "There are now two options, and you must choose one."
"First, we will immediately arrange for you to move to the inner city. The Empire's power is concentrated there, making it safer than almost anywhere else."
"Moreover, you can open your clinic in the noble district and earn money from those lords. But the price is that you will immediately enter the sights of every faction. Those hunting doctors will likely put you at the top of their target list."
"Second."
Mary pointed upward. "Move here. There is a Nightwatchers safehouse near the tavern. You can move in under the guise of a 'conscription.' We will announce that you are assisting an investigation and temporarily suppress all news."
"The benefit is absolute safety—unless the entire Nightwatchers branch in Gelimu Port is wiped out. The downside is... you'll have to give up the reputation you just built in the harbor district, and your range of activity will be restricted."
Lu Yuan didn't even hesitate after listening.
"I choose the second one."
The inner city? Lu Yuan didn't believe he was strong enough yet to ignore assassination attempts.
Besides, although the harbor district was chaotic, it clearly held more 'knowledge.' Both the Nightwatchers Library and Lawson, his stable supplier, were nearby.
"But I have one condition," Lu Yuan added. "I need to retain the right to see patients. Of course, I will screen them myself."
"You want to continue being a doctor?" Mary was somewhat confused. "With your current abilities, focusing on research would be..."
"I am a doctor," Lu Yuan interrupted her. "Being a doctor is my original profession. I came here to fulfill a promise to Laisen, even though he is gone."
Lu Yuan didn't elaborate.
In truth, treating people was the fastest way to farm experience for 【Basic Medicine】. Lu Yuan didn't plan to study only Forbidden Lore; he intended to dabble in all kinds of knowledge. As for Laisen... the man had technically saved his life, though this was mostly just to maintain a persona in front of outsiders.
"Fine, as you wish," Mary agreed readily. "The few doctors in the base can only amputate limbs and force-feed medicine. You'll actually be helping us improve things."
...
The move was carried out with swift efficiency.
The Nightwatchers' effectiveness was fully displayed at that moment.
That afternoon, an unmarked carriage stopped in front of Laisen Clinic.
Lu Yuan packed simply.
There wasn't much to take anyway. Aside from the medical books, the herbs Lawson had sent, and the eerie parchment he had kept hidden deep in a drawer, he left the rest of the junk behind.
He wrote two letters and had them delivered to Brent and Lawson, informing them of the clinic's relocation.
Finally, he took down the wooden sign that read "Laisen Clinic" from the door.
Looking at the two-story building he had lived in for only a few days, Lu Yuan felt little nostalgia.
"Let's go."
He tossed the wooden sign into the carriage and climbed in.
The new clinic was located in a standalone stone house in the back alley of Old John's Tavern.
Though it wasn't as spacious as the previous building, the walls were thick, and it was surrounded by Nightwatchers sentries, providing an immense sense of security.
Lu Yuan hung the "Laisen Clinic" sign back up.
He didn't intend to use his own name. After all, he wasn't short on money; he just couldn't give up the experience points. In this dangerous world, fame was often more like a death sentence.
Keeping the dead man "Laisen" at the forefront was the safest choice for him.
"I don't have to worry about my safety for the time being."
Lu Yuan stood by the window of the new clinic, watching the lights of the tavern not far away.
He touched the silver-plated pistol in his pocket and glanced at the unlocked 【Forbidden Lore - Seeker】 progress bar in his vision.
"Now, it's time to develop in peace."
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