Chapter 30 – The Librarian of Lost Time
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A Guardian of the Past
Luo Fan's muscles tensed as he studied the old man before him. The figure had the air of a scholar—flowing robes embroidered with celestial patterns, a long silver beard, and eyes that gleamed with ancient knowledge. He stood amidst the floating crystalline tablets, unfazed by the chaos outside. .m
> "Alright, Boss. Mysterious elder in a hidden archive? Definitely some kind of secret NPC."
EchoStar's voice was dry, but Luo Fan didn't miss the undertone of curiosity.
The old man chuckled, as if he had heard the remark.
> "You may call me the Librarian. I am the caretaker of these records—fragments of the world that once was."
Luo Fan remained cautious. "And you knew I was coming?"
The Librarian nodded. "Only one who has resisted the Reset could find their way here. You are an anomaly, Luo Fan."
At the mention of his name, Luo Fan narrowed his eyes. "You know who I am?"
> "Oooh, ominous. I vote we don't trust him."
The Librarian simply smiled. "I know many things. And if you seek answers, you are in the right place."
Luo Fan wasn't sure he liked that answer. But he had come this far.
He took a step forward.
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A World Forgotten
The Archive was vast, stretching beyond what the eye could see. Floating tablets pulsed with shifting symbols, their glow casting ethereal shadows. Each one contained echoes of the past—pieces of a world that no longer existed.
Luo Fan reached out to one of the tablets. As his fingers brushed its surface, a vision flashed through his mind—
A grand sect overlooking the stars.
A battlefield littered with broken artifacts.
A throne room where shadowed figures whispered of a war beyond time.
Then—darkness.
He pulled back, breathing heavily.
> "Welp. That wasn't terrifying at all."
The Librarian watched him calmly. "These are the remnants of the old multiverse. Memories, knowledge, lost techniques… all preserved here."
Luo Fan's mind raced. If this Archive contained data from before the Reset…
Could it restore what was lost?
As if reading his thoughts, the Librarian shook his head. "I see the question in your eyes, but no—what was erased cannot be fully restored. However…"
He gestured to the floating tablets.
> "There are pieces. Fragments. Enough to rebuild."
Luo Fan's breath steadied. That was enough. He wasn't looking for a perfect restoration—he was looking for a way forward.
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EchoStar's Revelation
> "Okay, Boss, this is huge. If these records contain system data, I might be able to recover some of my lost functions."
Luo Fan raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you were irreplaceable."
> "And I am, obviously. But think of it like this—if I can integrate these fragments, I might be able to override some of the Reset's restrictions. Maybe even restore a few livestream functions."
Luo Fan's pulse quickened. That was huge. "How much can you recover?"
> "Hard to say. Depends on what's stored here. But at the very least, I might be able to get us back online in some capacity."
Luo Fan turned to the Librarian. "Can we take these records with us?"
The old man chuckled. "Knowledge is not so easily carried. But… I can allow you to integrate a portion of it."
Luo Fan didn't hesitate. "Do it."
> "Ooooh, this is gonna sting, isn't it?"
The Librarian extended a hand, and a pulse of golden energy surged through the chamber. The tablets flickered, streams of light flowing toward Luo Fan and EchoStar.
A flood of information crashed into Luo Fan's mind—scattered techniques, forgotten histories, echoes of countless cultivators who once existed.
> "Ow—yep, definitely stings! Why does knowledge always come with migraines?!"
Luo Fan grit his teeth, absorbing as much as he could without being overwhelmed. He could feel the changes happening—small, but significant.
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System Recovery: 5%
> [EchoStar Update: Partial Livestream Function Restored.]
[System Scan Enabled. New Database Access Unlocked.]
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Luo Fan exhaled sharply as the energy faded.
He clenched his fists, testing his body. No cultivation recovery yet, but… something was different. He felt more connected. Stronger, in a way that wasn't purely physical.
EchoStar hummed, its presence flickering with renewed energy.
> "Okay, I won't lie—that was a rush. I think I just got access to some old system logs. Also, minor win: I can scan stuff again!"
Luo Fan smirked. "That's a start."
The Librarian observed them with an amused expression. "Your journey is only beginning. The Archive holds many secrets, but true power lies in what you do with them."
Luo Fan met his gaze. "Then tell me—what's the next step?"
The Librarian's smile faded.
> "Find the Forgotten."
Silence settled over the chamber.
Luo Fan frowned. "The Forgotten?"
The Librarian nodded. "Those who were erased… but not completely. The Reset could not wipe them entirely, and so they linger, scattered across the remnants of existence. If you wish to rebuild, they are the key."
Luo Fan processed the information. Survivors of the Reset—beings who shouldn't exist, just like him.
> "Okay, so let me get this straight—our next quest is to find a bunch of half-erased weirdos who might or might not remember anything? Fantastic."
Luo Fan's lips twitched. "Sounds about right."
The Librarian's eyes gleamed. "The first resides in a place long abandoned… a ruin where echoes still whisper."
He raised a hand, and an ancient map formed from golden light. Luo Fan stepped forward, memorizing the location.
> "New destination unlocked. I love it when we get quest markers."
Luo Fan took a deep breath. This was it. A real path forward.
He turned to the Librarian one last time. "Thank you."
The old man simply nodded. "Go forth, Survivor. And remember—knowledge is only as powerful as the one who wields it."
With those final words, the Archive began to fade. The crystalline tablets shimmered out of existence, the vast chamber dissolving into mist.
Luo Fan and EchoStar stood at the threshold of a new journey.
The search for the Forgotten had begun.
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[Chapter End.]