Pale yellow twilight fell across wooden desks, and the scent of ancient books flooded his nostrils.

Shen Yi frowned faintly, feeling somewhat out of place.

Before stepping into the pitch-black light-curtain, he had never imagined he would see a scene this tranquil and serene.

As far as the eye could reach, both sides of the winding, ascending staircase were lined with orderly bookshelves, upon which ancient texts turned their own pages with a soft rustling, and jade slips trembled gently, pleasant as a clear spring.

Shen Yi glanced at the blood-drenched corpse of the Thunder-Hoof Demon Emperor in his hand.

Then looked toward the spider, curled up quietly not far off, turning the pages of an ancient text with one long leg.

For a moment he couldn't quite tell which of the two of them was the demon.

It felt rather more as though he were the thing at odds with this place of books and learning.

"If I recall correctly, this is your first time in the Technique-Storing Pavilion?"

The Nether-Gloom Spider Emperor opened its eyes and smiled.

Plainly, it was well satisfied with Shen Yi's performance just now.

Both the ruthless decisiveness with which he'd slain the Thunder-Hoof, and his subtle attitude toward the Gold-Winged Demon Emperor afterward.

This lion... had actually struck up something ambiguous with that nine-striped fierce tiger.

The Nether-Gloom Spider Emperor cared not at all about that — indeed, it found it rather comical.

So long as the creature didn't betray it, that was enough. And if it truly could catch the Gold-Winged Demon Emperor's eye, that might even be a good thing, as far as the Spider Emperor was concerned.

"First time."

Shen Yi dropped the Thunder-Hoof and lifted his gaze to look around.

Had the Nanyang shape-transformation art not been holding him up at this moment, he genuinely wasn't certain he could have maintained so composed a bearing.

He'd assumed the spider was simply an old demon emperor with a rather deep foundation.

He hadn't expected the thing was guarding a mountain of gold.

Since it was his first visit, a little…