NOVEL NEXT Chapter 434: Book
Both guards momentarily froze, eyes widening in surprise before breaking into delighted, grateful smiles. They bowed respectfully, their faces beaming with appreciation, "Thank you very much, sir! Please enjoy your stay!"
Feeling pleased by their reactions, Orion entered Silverbrook City, the lively atmosphere immediately washing over him. Orion deeply appreciated such energetic human scenes.
Quickly, he walked towards one of the city's most prestigious inns, a beautifully constructed establishment named "Azure Blossom Inn," famous among traveling cultivators for its exceptional facilities.
Stepping inside, Orion immediately felt refreshed by the elegant decorations and calming atmosphere. It wasn't like the other low level inns where all the people make noises and battle happens frequently.
The receptionist, a graceful young woman, greeted Orion warmly, her voice polite and gentle, "Welcome, esteemed guest. How may I assist you?"
Orion returned her polite smile, casually leaning against the reception counter as he inquired calmly, "I'd like to rent a room for a few days. What are my options?"
Smiling warmly, the receptionist immediately replied, "Our rooms are divided into multiple tiers, sir. Common rooms cost ten Mid-Grade Mana Crystals daily, while deluxe rooms are one High-Grade Crystal daily. However, our highest tier rooms cost five High-Grade Mana Crystals per day."
Hearing the exorbitant price, Orion momentarily raised an eyebrow in mild surprise but quickly dismissed it.
After all, he wasn't lacking this bit of High-Grade Mana Crystals, and he certainly deserved to enjoy the comforts after recent hardships.
Without hesitation, Orion withdrew fifteen High-Grade Mana Crystals and placed them gently onto the counter. "Book the highest tier room for three days, please."
The receptionist's eyes brightened, impressed by his wealth at such a young age. She gracefully accepted the crystals, bowing deeply. "Certainly, sir! Allow me to guide you personally."
She led Orion upstairs, opening a beautifully carved wooden door at the end of the hallway. Stepping into the luxurious room, Orion instantly felt impressed.
The spacious interior was furnished exquisitely with soft, comfortable furniture, and the air felt fresh and pure, rich in ambient mana.
Low Grade formations faintly glowed along the walls and floor, isolating the room from external senses and subtly gathering ambient mana to enrich the cultivation environment.
Orion's eyes sparkled with admiration, clicking his tongue appreciatively. "No wonder the price is so high. These formations alone justify the expense in this wilderness."
After the receptionist respectfully took her leave, Orion carefully withdrew the Silent Hall Cube from his inventory, placing it gently in the center of the room.
Putting High-Grade Mana Crystals into the cube, he activated it. Instantly, a soft, ethereal veil spread outwards, completely isolating the room from any external probing or disturbance.
Looking around with satisfaction, he went to lay down on the bed and closed his eyes for a bit, "Haa…its been days since I have slept so peacefully."
[Hehe you could have entered the inheritance ground to take a rest if you wanted to Master. (≧∇≦)/]
Orion looked at the floating screen in front of him with a smile, "It's been a while since I saw these emojis haha."
Lumi's voice came out filled with playfulness, [You have been hiding all over the place, so I didn't want to break your focus. Now there is no such concern! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ]
Sighing lightly, Orion said with a faint smile, "Well, these past few days have truly been fruitful, even if they were exhausting. Anyway, now that I've finally relaxed, I should take a look at that book I found in the ruins. With all the excitement, I nearly forgot about it."
Lumi enthusiastically nodded, her tiny avatar appearing in his Sea of Consciousness with sparkling eyes,
[Yes, yes! I almost forgot too! We only glanced briefly at it before, but it didn't seem like a spellbook or anything similar.]
Feeling curious, Orion reached into his spatial ring and carefully retrieved the mysterious book.
The cover seemed like a normal mortal leather cover with an unassuming appearance, sitting up on the bed, he flipped open the first page, eyes focusing intently on the neatly written title: [Journal of a Traveler].
Immediately, Orion's previously expectant mood turned slightly complicated. With a dry chuckle, he remarked aloud, "So, it's not some peerless spell or an incredible martial manual, huh."
Lumi, sensing his slight disappointment, playfully consoled him with an encouraging tone,
[Master, you already possess quite a few powerful spells. As for martial skills, you can look for them later, you aren't lacking in any of them. But perhaps reading this journal could expand your horizons instead. Who knows what we might learn?]
Smiling faintly at her earnest optimism, Orion shook his head slightly in amusement. "True. Let's hope it will have some interesting tales."
With little more curiosity, he began immersing himself in the mysterious journal. Time slowly slipped by unnoticed as Orion became thoroughly engrossed in the author's vivid recounting of adventures, experiences, and observations.
The traveler's handwriting was elegant yet firm, each entry filled with meticulous detail, insightful commentary, and occasional humorous anecdotes. It was written in the common language of the myriad races.
The more Orion read, the more astonishment filled his heart. Each story was more extraordinary than the last.
The author described worlds utterly foreign, filled with cultivation paths Orion had never seen in this world, civilizations of various complexity ranging from machine civilization to heroes civilization among others, and countless races and cultures spanning diverse worlds far beyond Aerthalis.
After several hours, Orion finally closed the book gently, letting out a deep breath, his eyes shimmering brightly with admiration and surprise. "This guy was fucking awesome. To think he wasn't even from this world. It seems he didn't actually die in that cave but somehow, his journal was left there…"
Lumi excitedly agreed, her voice filled with wonder,
[Who could've imagined that he was actually a traveler from an entirely different world? Not only that, he clearly described the existence of other worlds beyond our Aerthalis. Our realm is merely one among the 12 Prime Realms within this Small Chilicosm, and apparently one of the lowest-ranked ones at that!]
[But there are also 108 Grand Realms, 365 Greater Realms, and then 3000 Common Worlds. That world we went to was one of the 3000 Common Worlds. Hehe, we have so many places to explore in this vast world. (≧ω≦)]
Orion's eyes turned thoughtful and contemplative as he gazed silently out the window. Beyond the city's bustling streets, distant mountains rose into view, the clouds drifting serenely across the sky.
For a moment, the vastness of the world pressed heavily upon him, yet simultaneously filled his heart with excitement and anticipation.
"Looks like the world is truly much vaster than I had imagined," Orion murmured softly, his voice filled with faint excitement. "I always assumed that once I reached the peak of this world, I'd directly transcend to a higher plane, after all, if there are only those worlds like the one I went to before, then there won't be much to explore."
"But now, it seems clear that this Small Chilicosm alone contains countless worlds waiting for exploration. Looks like if I want to advance further, I'll eventually need to journey beyond Aerthalis, traveling to these other realms."
Lumi's playful voice echoed in agreement, her enthusiasm contagious,
[Indeed, Master! With your awesome and truly unparalleled Limitless System, you're destined to explore these magnificent worlds! This journal was a wonderful discovery, it truly broadened our understanding!]
Hearing her words, he chuckled softly seeing her blowing her own horns. Now, his focus on exploration was not only at the ancient ruins and mystical places but also these vast and different worlds where different civilization and races stay.
After contemplating about it to himself for a bit, he started discussing the things that were written in the book with Lumi. They excitedly speculated about future, future possibilities, worlds Orion might someday visit, and the world of excitement waiting beyond the horizons he'd previously envisioned.
The sun began to set slowly over Silverbrook City, painting the skies with hues of gold, amber, and lavender.
In the warm, comforting silence of his luxurious inn room, Orion felt a deep sense of clarity. He now had new goals to chase and his resolve to get stronger strengthened.
He didn't have this much longing for strength even when facing the Exalted Grade beast, but the new places to explore had gotten his interest.
"Indeed, the road ahead is infinitely long," Orion murmured quietly, his voice filled with quiet excitement. "But that makes this journey even more thrilling."
Lumi chimed in cheerfully, her voice filled with boundless optimism,
[Then we'll simply travel that road together, Master! Wherever it leads, I'll be with you every step of the way! (≧∇≦)/]
He softly chuckled at her words, "Well, you are bound with me for both good and bad haha. But enough wasting time, I should go and create a few more elements to increase my versatility. I have such a treasure place like the inheritance ground and with my long life span, if I don't learn various things to the extreme then I won't have any face to look at other Emperors when I stand at the summit."