Yuan Tianzhu was sitting in a quiet corner inside the Library of Primordial Origin, the seemingly endless rows of books rising above him like silent sentinels.
As his fingers slid over the cover of an ancient-looking book, he seemed lost in thought. Yuan Tianzhu had no idea how much time had passed since he had arrived at the Library of Primordial Origin.
Time flowed strangely there.
Yuan Tianzhu was so absorbed in reading, learning, and absorbing knowledge from the countless books that the Library of Primordial Origin had to offer.
The concept of time simply didn't matter to him.
Whoosh!
As he recalled the time he had spent in the Library of Primordial Origin, a soft golden glow suddenly appeared in the library, catching his attention.
Floating in the air and shimmering like a mirage were the digits "100,000" written in a radiant golden color, almost blinding.
He had to close and reopen his eyes to adjust to the intensity of the glow that emanated from it.
Yuan Tianzhu blinked in surprise, and then the realization surfaced naturally.
One hundred thousand years—to be more precise—that was the number of years he had spent inside the Library of Primordial Origin.
He wasn't sure if it was true; the idea simply arose in his mind, as if it had been whispered into his ears by the place itself. So, for practically one hundred thousand years, had he been reading and reading different types of books non-stop? It was a feat humanly impossible to even conceive or imagine.
"One hundred thousand years? How did I spend so much time here without noticing? Was it the influence of the library making me focus so intensely, or was I just too excited?"
Yuan Tianzhu murmured to himself.
If it was the latter, he would feel a little embarrassed about himself…
Moreover, during those 100,000 years, the library had been his entire world.
The echo of his own voice in the massive hall was a constant reminder of his solitude. He never knew how much longer he would have in that sanctuary, and that uncertainty gnawed at him, deepening his isolation as if he were sinking into an ocean.
However, the years had been fruitful, for the knowledge he had acquired was nearly immeasurable.
Every book was a treasure that enriched his understanding of cultivation in general.
Yuan Tianzhu could remember the countless hours he had spent reading about ancient cultivation methods and martial techniques.
He had mastered theories on complex professions such as alchemists, blacksmiths, formation masters, and talisman masters.
He had delved so deeply into the secrets of cultivation that he could claim there wasn't much he didn't know about the subject. Yuan Tianzhu had become like those immortal emperors reborn into the body of a useless young master.
"Still, when will I be able to leave this place?"
Yuan Tianzhu asked aloud.
However, no one could answer that question within the lonely Library of Primordial Origin.
A hundred thousand years was an inconceivable amount of time to spend alone, even in a place as marvelous as this library.
Just as Yuan Tianzhu was feeling down and longing to leave, a sudden flash of light appeared out of nowhere.
The light materialized into text in the air before him, the letters flowing slowly with fluid grace.
Forming a clear and direct message:
"Thy time in the Library of Primordial Origin has come to an end. Thou must depart now."
"….." After a brief silence, Yuan Tianzhu whispered, a wry smile forming on his lips. "Shouldn't have said it out loud…"
A wave of emotions exploded inside him—relief, fear, excitement, and sadness.
His heart ached with the weight of an elephant, the vast hall echoing his confused emotions.
The idea of leaving was a whirlwind of emotion. Excitement pulsed within him like a living current—it was the chance to experience the outside world beyond the library's walls. Even though he had once entered the Dark Forest… but that's a story for another time…
However, that excitement was balanced by an equally intense fear. The familiarity of the library, its endless books…
He had grown used to being there; as an introvert, he liked the solitude and the calm of the place.
Leaving for the unknown felt like jumping off a cliff into the dark. The fear of the unknown consumed him from within.
The duality of these emotions overwhelmed him with force—but he knew he couldn't stay there forever; his time had truly come to an end.
Yuan Tianzhu knew it wasn't a coincidence that he had appeared in this place—not to mention that damned Dao Trial. The outside world might hold the answers to the questions that had haunted him for so long.
Why am I here?
Who created this library?
What is the purpose of all this?
Who created the Dao Trial?
For what reason?
"Sigh… I shouldn't dive into that now. The answers will come when the time is right…"
Yuan Tianzhu sighed and took a deep breath, shaking his head.
Looking around the library one last time, gazing at the infinite shelves filled with books.
It was a familiar sight to him after these hundred thousand years. Each book represented a part of the vast knowledge he had absorbed over the millennia. Thus, he felt a deep connection to that place called the Library of Primordial Origin, even if it didn't seem logical.
As Yuan Tianzhu lamented his final moments there, he suddenly felt a powerful force enveloping his body.
The air around him crackled violently, and suddenly he was lifted off the ground.
The world turned into a frenzied whirlwind of lights and shadows.
He tried to brace himself, but the force hurled him through a chaotic storm of swirling colors.
His vision spun and darkened as the pressure increased, crushing his senses.
Everything became a dizzying vortex.
His heart pounded wildly, each second dragging him deeper into the overwhelming darkness.
With one final desperate breath, he closed his eyes and let the force pull him into the abyss.
⸻
Primal Chaos World
The Primal Chaos World was a place where the strong were revered and the weak despised like ants. People had the power to pluck stars from the sky and move planets.
Thus, the fist was the supreme and fundamental law of the world.
In a lush and verdant landscape, full of colossal trees and blooming flowers, a young man could be seen sleeping. The sky above was a brilliant blue, the sun shining warmly, its light gently landing on the young man.
"Huh? Where am I?"
The young man's eyes opened, revealing majestic blue eyes, gleaming like precious gems.
Clearly, this young man was Yuan Tianzhu, who had been expelled from the Library of Primordial Origin.
Yuan Tianzhu looked around, examining his surroundings.
All he could see was a vibrant, green landscape, full of gigantic trees and colorful flowers.
"Oh… the sun is much bigger than Earth's!"
Looking at the sun and feeling its familiar scorching heat was a unique and yet strange sensation.
It'll take a little while to get used to it.
"I never thought I'd be so happy to feel the warmth of the sun again after one hundred thousand years…"