217: Elf race

"How was it? Quite an eye-opener, wasn't it?"

Having paid the fee, Scholar Buli stood a bit taller as he beckoned Zhang Huaiyuan inside.

This time, they weren't bounced back out.

"It truly exceeds my imagination. What were you saying just now? Do we have to pay to come up?"

Zhang Huaiyuan asked curiously.

The language the other party had used to communicate with the intelligent lifeform was different from any he knew; he could only vaguely guess what happened from Scholar Buli's subsequent action of taking out money.

"That's right, it's only ten thousand time coins—very cheap."

Scholar Buli waved his hand, feigning generosity.

"If I hadn't lost so much on my previous research, I would have treated you to the high-class cabin today."

"This is already enough. Thank you, Scholar Buli."

Zhang Huaiyuan thanked him, hesitated for a moment, and then gritted his teeth, saying:

"I have a presumptuous request. I wonder if you could teach me the common language of your higher world? Don't worry, consider it a debt I owe; once I earn some money, I will pay you back for the lessons."

He didn't know how much such knowledge was worth in the upper realm, but there was no doubt that he had to master the language, or he would be unable to move an inch.

"Oh! I forgot, you haven't mastered the Myriad Realms Common Tongue yet."

Scholar Buli froze for a moment, suddenly realizing.

After fumbling in his pocket for a while, he took out a black brick about ten centimeters wide, handed it over, and smiled:

"No need for money. Since I promised to recommend you to the association, I naturally have to handle these things. You know how to use it, right?"

"Enlightenment?"

Zhang Huaiyuan took the brick, and seeing its familiar appearance, the word slipped out.

Would someone of such noble status still use such a primitive tool?

But... under these circumstances, having anything to use was better than nothing.

Sighing helplessly, Zhang Huaiyuan skillfully raised the brick and smashed it down on his own head.

Thump.

The brick shattered, and countless characters and knowledge instantly flooded into his mind.

In just an instant, he had mastered over ten thousand mainstream languages.

"The effect is good, isn't it?"

Scholar Buli switched to a different common tongue.

"Yeah... it's... just... my head hurts a bit."

Zhang Huaiyuan grew more accustomed to it, and his speech became increasingly fluent.

"Too many ignorant lifeforms don't understand the value of knowledge. When I first designed this product, I wanted the user to know that acquiring knowledge comes with a price."

Scholar Buli narrated with a straight face, then glanced at his wrist and said indifferently:

"Let's go. It will take a while to reach our destination. Follow me to the ascension cabin to rest first."

"Alright."

Zhang Huaiyuan quickly caught up, while casually glancing at his surroundings.

The interior of this ascension elevator was completely different from what he had previously imagined; it wasn't just a small platform of a dozen square meters, but an area the size of an ordinary planet.

As they arrived at the rest area, scattered auras of life appeared.

The weakest among them had an aura not much worse than that of Venerable Xuan Jian.

"Huh, the aura of the Time Traveler Association... Tsk, isn't this that big swindler Buli?"

At that moment, a voice laced with arrogance drifted over.

A handsome young man with pointed ears and an ancient bow on his back was sizing them up with interest, sneering:

"You've tricked a few more fools, and they actually have the money to ride the Gate of Boundlessness?"

"Damn Elf, why are you people everywhere? Shut up. You dare insult a registered scholar of the association? Does your Elf Race want to go to war with my Time Traveler Association?"

Buli's face instantly darkened.

"Oh... respected Scholar Buli, I wouldn't dare accept such a label. How about this: please pay back the 17.2 billion time coins you owe the Elf Race, and I will certainly apologize to you."

"They aren't going to start fighting, are they?"

Hearing these sarcastic words, Zhang Huaiyuan's heart skipped a beat.

"Let's go."

But unexpectedly, Scholar Buli, whose face was flushed red, merely let out a cold snort. Without saying another harsh word, he called out to Zhang Huaiyuan and walked forward without looking back.

"Sir, this guy's reputation isn't very good. Be careful not to get cheated."

Just as Zhang Huaiyuan was about to follow, the Elf unexpectedly nodded to him in a friendly manner.

"Uh... thank you."

Zhang Huaiyuan was slightly stunned and returned the nod.

"You're welcome. There aren't many humans as handsome as you left. You're welcome to visit my Elf Race when you have time."

The Elf gave an elegant bow and handed over a small piece of something that looked like a tree branch.

"Keep up!"

Hearing the urge from his side, Zhang Huaiyuan hurriedly put away the branch, smiled at the other party, and quickly followed after Buli.

"What a handsome human."

The Elf man watched the retreating figure for a long time, a mysterious look flashing in his eyes. He only turned back to his room once the figure had disappeared.

On the other side, back inside the ascension cabin.

Scholar Buli's face was grim as he said:

"This is your first time out; remember to stay far away from those Elf fellows. They are arrogant, unreasonable, and act purely on whim—especially when it comes to slandering others."

"Tell me, do I look like the kind of person who likes to swindle and deceive others?"

"Yes... uh... no?"

Zhang Huaiyuan remembered how the other party had used 'Lies of the Deceiver' on the contract when they first met, and he subconsciously nodded.

Seeing the other's expression turn even uglier, he quickly changed the subject:

"Scholar Buli, you are a scholar of the Time Traveler Association. How does that Elf fellow dare to speak to you so disrespectfully? Can the Elf Race really compare to the association?"

"Hmph, those uncivilized brutes? How could they possibly be mentioned in the same breath as my Time Traveler Association? They just had a bit of good luck."

Scholar Buli snorted. After taking out a scanner to check the entire room, he lowered his voice and spoke mysteriously:

"This matter involves a truly monumental figure. I'll tell you, but don't go spreading it around."

"Please tell me, I'll definitely keep my lips sealed."

Zhang Huaiyuan suddenly became curious.

"Legend has it that the Elf Race was originally just natives of a low-level world like yours, with their highest combat power only equivalent to a 3S-Class Transcendent."

"Later, for reasons unknown, the Sovereign of the Zerg—that unspeakable, great existence—actually married the Empress of an Elven branch."

As Buli spoke, his eyes were full of shock and disbelief.

"Zerg?"

The image of Emperor Luo's transformed state inexplicably flashed through Zhang Huaiyuan's mind.

The two guardians of the Xuanjian Sect had been insta-killed without even the power to fight back; it was simply terrifying to the extreme.

"Yes, the Zerg. A terrifying race that makes the heavens and myriad realms tremble with fear."

Buli sighed:

"Since then, the status of the Elf Race has also soared, jumping from a native race to one of the highest-status groups in the myriad realms."

"But I still don't understand. From a scientific perspective, that great existence should look at those native Elves the same way one looks at a paramecium. How could a god fall in love with a paramecium?"

"Perhaps love can transcend race."

Zhang Huaiyuan nodded thoughtfully and gave a light chuckle.

He found a place to sit down and was just about to digest the information he had gained when he suddenly sensed a strange fluctuation coming from deep within his mind.

That feeling was just like when he had first awakened his ability!

...