The challenge of Librarian.

Wu Xuan inhaled deeply. "What on earth is this?" he grumbled, his eyebrows twitching in irritation. "They dare to call this a library?!" The place was a rundown little shop, its signboard hanging askew, surrounded by worn books and several dusty wooden objects. In a corner, an elderly man was engrossed in reading, a round spectacle perched on his right eye and his hair as white as snow.

"Hey, old man," Wu Xuan called out as he entered the shop. The old man looked up slightly. "What brings this young master here?" the old man inquired in a gentle tone. Before Wu Xuan could reply, Shangguan Qing brushed past him and approached with eyes wide in wonder. "Grandfather!" she exclaimed softly.

Wu Xuan stood baffled.

"Is that really you, Grandfather?" she pressed, peering closely at the old man's face. Meng Zhi quickly intervened, tugging at her robes. "Miss Qing, that's quite rude," he chided, offering an apologetic bow to the old man.

"Qing-er?" the old man whispered, removing his glasses. Tears filled his hollow eyes. "Is it truly you, Qing-er?" he questioned, incredulous. "But why have you come here?"

Wu Xuan feigned a cough, causing the old man to wince slightly. "Alright, please follow me first. We should talk indoors."

"Is there more to this?" Wu Xuan inquired, a hint of concern in his voice. The old man responded with a smile. Rising from his desk, he made his way to a bookshelf at a leisurely pace. Wu Xuan's patience thinned. "Can you speed up?" he whispered, unable to contain his impatience any longer. "Quiet, you fool, unless you want to be thrown out!" Meng Zhi snapped back in anger. Finally, the old man arrived at the bookshelf and pressed on several books in a specific sequence. A moment passed in silence.

A subtle tremor spread, and suddenly, a vast circular gate of illusion opened. Beyond it lay darkness so dense it seemed sliceable. "Please come," the old man beckoned, stepping through. Wu Xuan, holding Lingyu's hand, entered cautiously. As the last of them crossed the threshold, the magic gate shut, and torches flared to life, illuminating the dark hall. The floor gleamed with polished obsidian, and where walls should be, there stood towering bookshelves, stretching upwards into the void where a ceiling might have been. They found themselves in a spacious circular hall, with a modest table and several chairs at its center.

"This must be the true library..." Meng Zhi whispered, his voice filled with wonder. "Does it even have a ceiling?"

"So, what's this story about a grandfather and granddaughter?" Wu Xuan inquired, seating Lingyu in a chair, as he addressed a girl embracing the elderly man. "He's my grandfather, Shangguan Ning," she murmured. "It's been years since I last saw him."

"Why don't you both sit down?" suggested the old man, gently patting Qing's head. "I didn't expect to see you here, Qing-er. You're still so young," he said, his voice tinged with desperation. Wu Xuan waited quietly for their conversation to end, while Meng Zhi scampered around the library.

"I understand now. You're both alive," Shangguan Ning spoke softly, settling into his chair. "That's a relief," he expressed, gazing at his granddaughter.

"You look like a scholar. Why did you kill yourself?" Wu Xuan said, rolling his eyes. Shangguan Ning seemed shocked by that. "Kill...myself?" he whispered.

"You don't remember?" Meng Zhi asked, appearing out of nowhere.

"I didn't kill myself," Shangguan Ning stated, his calmness belying his shock. "That's what the villagers claim," Shangguan Qing added, tears welling in her eyes. "But that's not the truth."

"Huh?!"

"It was about four years ago. I was only eight at the time. The night before the incident, I saw an individual cloaked in black. His soul—it appeared crimson," Shangguan Qing murmured, her voice quivering.

"What does the deep red signify?" Wu Xuan inquired.

"I can discern the color of the soul. Most people possess a blue one. Demons bear a golden hue. Fresh souls are purple. Red is rare; it signifies a spirit consumed by hatred, one that has surrendered entirely to vengeance," she explained.

"A spirit filled with hate? But what could the Shangguan family have possibly done to deserve such wrath?" inquired Meng Zhi.

"We did nothing. Yet, I am certain he slaughtered our kin."

"In that instant," Shangguan Ning's voice broke through the silence of his slumber, "my body refused to obey my commands. It was as though I was being puppeteered. I was aware I was about to end my own life, yet I was powerless to prevent it," he murmured softly.

"I was the only one who it missed. My brother hid me behind a cabinet. I was watching the whole incident. After a while, the entire mansion was engulfed in flames. If a disciple of the Wen Sect didn't save me, I would have already died." Shangguan Qing said, smiling through her tears. "Thank you Meng Zhi gege."

"Eh?"

"Even though your appearance has changed, I can still recognize you. The color of your soul is so distinctive, and it's unforgettable. If you hadn't leaped into the flames to save me, I would not have survived," she said, her tone sincere, devoid of deceit.

"Ah, yes! The demonic assault on Lilan City occurred four years ago. All four peaks, except for Shensheng, were summoned to the fray," Meng Zhi recalled thoughtfully. "However, it's been so long that the details elude me."

"Yu Lingyu was present as well," Meng Zhi continued. "Da Shixiong, Lingyu, and I were near the Shangguan Mansion, yet we never encountered anyone clad in black."

"You see, I've been anticipating this moment for quite some time. To meet the worthy ones," Shangguan Ning stated.

"For what purpose?" inquired Wu Xuan.

Clearing his throat, Shangguan Ning implored, "Please, save the Shangguan family." It was doubtful that either Wu Xuan or Meng Zhi could grasp that the Shangguan Family was already utterly devastated, wasn't it?

"For the sake of everyone in Shangguan Mansion, including our family members and servants, please save the mansion from the devil's grip so they can leave in peace." Shangguan Ning's eyes flashed with a gloomy look. They were filled with pain and a trace of hope.

"That is my challenge to you."

Wu Xuan's eyebrows knit together. "Don't you realize it's a personal request?" he asked in a slightly stern tone. Shangguan Ning smiled. "I have not been given an order that personal requests are prohibited." He said.

"I have waited four years to find someone capable of this task. Now, before me stands the head disciple of the Wen Sect and the son of the Demon King. I cannot envision anyone more suitable than you."

Although they had not revealed their names to Shangguan Ning, the old man appeared to know nearly everything about them.

"Two days is the maximum time you get. In two days your next round of matches starts." Shangguan Ning said. "I thought it was today. Doesn't it end today?" Meng Zhi asked, slightly surprised.

"Today is reserved for those who met my challenge two days prior. Each participant is given two days to complete my challenge," Shangguan Ning said without any concern. He had no qualms about giving his personal demands to the challengers. Wu Xuan let out a long breath as if realizing there was no other way.

"So how do you do it? Where is the power source?" Wu Xuan asked.

"That..." Shangguan Ning said, interlocking the fingers of his hands. "You should find that yourselves."

"That's not something you can do in two days! Are you kidding us?" Meng Zhi asked, pounding the table with his fisted hands. "Grandpa, I also think that request is too much." Shangguan Qing also said.

"The only thing I am certain of is that it's encased in a powerful protective spell. It also serves as a haven for numerous demons. They can exit the mansion by conjuring a portal to any location they desire, and the same is true for entry. From the outside, it retains the appearance of the Shangguan Mansion, but inside, intricate magic is at play. I fear that if it's not destroyed promptly, something irreversible may occur. Moreover, time progresses more rapidly within than in the outside world. What may seem like years could merely be days." Shangguan Ning made a thorough explanation. After that, a heavy silence reigned in the library. He showed no intention of changing his decision.

"Well then. I don't see any reason to waste any more time here. Let's go." Wu Xuan said standing up. He smiled gently at Lingyu, who was looking at him with wide eyes. "Let's go, Lingyu."

"Wait. I don't think we should take Lingyu." Meng Zhi said. "If what the old man said is true, it is very dangerous there. Why don't we leave him here?"

Wu Xuan's eyes narrowed. He didn't want to do that at all. But Meng Zhi had a point. Going there with Lingyu would expose him to a dangerous situation.

"He can stay here with Qing-er." Shangguan Ning suggested.

"How can I trust you?" Wu Xuan asked nonchalantly. "Whether you believe me or not is your choice," Shangguan Ning replied, shrugging.

After being silent for a while, Wu Xuan seemed to have finally made up his mind. Reaching into his Qiankun bag, he took out a bright silver weeping moon-shaped hair ornament.

"Oh, isn't that what you've been wearing all the time?" Meng Zhi asked, pressing into it, drawn to its glow like a moth to a flame. "The one I was wearing was fake. If it was real, I would never give it to anyone else." Wu Xuan said with a little anger. Indeed it was true. The jewel he was now holding was brighter than the jewel he had previously worn and given to Yuan Yu Yi.

"Why did you make a fake one?" Meng Zhi asked, still not taking his eyes off the jewel. Wu Xuan did not answer. Although fake, it was still made using the ingredients of the real jewel. So even though it was fake, it still resonated with Wu Xuan's crescent-shaped necklace. But the real thing was on a different level. The necklace also appeared bright silver, as if recognizing the presence of its partner. "Wait a minute, why does that feel familiar?" Meng Zhi muttered to himself. He had a feeling that he had seen it somewhere a long time ago.

As Wu Xuan ran his fingers through Yu Lingyu's silky hair, he carefully positioned the jewel at the side of his head. "If any harm comes to him, I will make you pay for each hair on your head," he threatened, glaring at the old man with a menacing growl.

"No need to threaten this old man. Besides, I don't have much hair left."

Meng Zhi struggled to hold back his laughter. Clutching his stomach, he chuckled until tears streamed down his face. "Sorry, sorry, but... hahahaha!!"

The sight of Meng Zhi's laughter caused Shangguan Qing to smile as well. She covered her mouth with her hand, turned away, and smiled with a hint of pity for Wu Xuan.

Wu Xuan's eyebrows twitched animatedly. "Shall we get going?!" he barked in irritation.