Chapter 131: Just Call Me Old Geezer

Xu Han took the elevator to the fourth floor of the library.

The library had five floors in total. However, the last floor could not be reached by elevator; one had to take the stairs. The staircase was tucked away in the eastern corner. If not for the principal’s reminder that day, Xu Han likely would never have discovered it.

Looking at the narrow staircase that could only accommodate one person at a time, Xu Han’s forehead creased with lines of frustration. Anyone who knew it was the Dragon Nation University library would be surprised; anyone who didn't might mistake it for some sort of secret passage.

He ascended the stairs, which were illuminated by dim lights along the walls, barely enough to see the path ahead. He looked up toward the top, where a faint white light glowed—that must be the exit.

Following the stairs to the top, he emerged into a space where brilliant sunlight streamed through the windows. Xu Han was stunned. The top floor was not the dim, gloomy place he had imagined, but rather quite bright. Windows were set into the surrounding walls, allowing the sunlight to pour in—bright enough to provide ample light, yet soft enough not to be blinding.

He turned to look ahead. An old wooden desk stood in the center. The desk was immaculate, holding only an antique desk lamp. A bald, long-bearded old man sat before it, reading a book. Xu Han glanced at the title: *A Study on the Habitats and Habits of Dragon-Type Exotic Beasts*.

*So, this must be the librarian,* Xu Han thought. *He really lives up to the title; he’s quite the scholar. The books he reads are so profound. By comparison, I don't seem to care much for reading. If it comes to academic grades, I’m afraid I couldn't even catch up to the top students at Dragon Nation University, even if I rode a fast horse.*

He stepped forward and said respectfully, "Senior, I am here to collect my skill book."

The old man jumped in surprise. The book slipped from his hands with a "thud" onto the desk, revealing another book hidden behind it. The cover featured a woman in a swimsuit with a devilish figure.

*Beauty Heaven?!*

Xu Han’s mouth twitched. *So, the 'Study on the Habitats and Habits of Dragon-Type Exotic Beasts' was just a cover?*

The old man froze, then shoved the book under the desk and glared at Xu Han. "You brat! You walk without a sound—are you a ghost?!"

Xu Han gave a dry cough, choosing not to respond.

The old man rose with a look of annoyance. "Student ID."

Xu Han obediently produced his student card and handed it over. The old man glanced at the photo on the card, compared it with Xu Han, and said with some surprise, "You’re Xu Han?"

Xu Han nodded quickly.

The old man looked him up and down, then nodded slightly. "No wonder that old geezer Ye Yuanzheng praised you to the heavens. You really are different from the rest."

Xu Han looked at the old man with curiosity. Based on how he referred to the principal, it seemed this man was from the same generation. Since he was in charge of so many high-level skill books, he must be an expert in his own right.

The old man didn’t rush to take Xu Han inside. Instead, he looked at him and asked, "Tell me, what kind of skills are you looking for?"

Xu Han shook his head. The skills he possessed were a jumbled mess; even he wasn't sure what kind of combination would be best. Should he pursue the path of a mage? But his mental power was far behind his strength and constitution. Perhaps close combat was more suitable for him. However, the power of magic skills was significantly higher than that of physical combat skills.

There was a saying: "In a winning streak, look to the warrior; in a losing streak, look to the assassin; in a desperate situation, look to the support; to turn the tide, look to the mage."

This meant that as long as the situation was going well, the warrior’s power far exceeded other classes, allowing them to push through without pressure. But if the situation turned sour, it depended on the assassin to eliminate key targets and turn the tide. If it was a desperate situation, the role of the support was far beyond the other two—a powerful support could amplify the combat effectiveness of warriors and assassins or weaken the enemy to shift the momentum.

But if defeat was certain and they needed a miracle to win, they had to rely on a mage. It was said that during an epic-level beast siege, a powerful mage once cast a forbidden spell, killing seventy percent of the beasts single-handedly and severely wounding the epic-level creature, instantly reversing the outcome.

This demonstrated the immense power of a mage. However, given Xu Han’s current abilities, that was out of the question. Forbidden-level magic had terrifying power, but the cost was equally terrifying. Without Tier 7 strength, one shouldn't even dream of it. Moreover, most forbidden-level spells were legendary-tier, and even if he wanted to learn one, he wouldn't have access to it.

Seeing Xu Han’s hesitation, the old man spoke up. "How about this? Show me all your skills, and I’ll help you choose. How’s that? Don't worry, I won't harm you, and I’ll keep your secrets. Of course, if you don't want to, I won't force you."

Xu Han didn't think twice and nodded in agreement. After all, anyone assigned by Dragon Nation University to guard such an important place must have a significant status. Plus, the man was clearly familiar with the principal; there was no reason for him to cause trouble.

He opened his skill panel and set it to public view. When the old man saw the long list of skills, his eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost.

"How many skills did you grind? You’ve actually mastered twenty skills! You’ve even surpassed me! Damn it! I’ve lived all these years in vain. I’m this old, and my skill count doesn’t even match yours. I might as well go buy a block of tofu and bump my head against it tomorrow!"

Xu Han looked at the old man awkwardly and replied, "It’s because of my profession; I just learned a few more."

The old man looked at Xu Han with a strange expression, his eyes filled with envy and jealousy. *Why is the difference between people so vast? If I had this many skills, would that old geezer Ye Yuanzheng even be the principal?*

After sighing to himself for a long moment, he finally focused his attention on the skill panel. When he saw the last two skills, he suddenly widened his eyes and stared fixedly at Xu Han.

"Kid, you actually have skills that can alter the environment?!"

Xu Han nodded.

The old man clicked his tongue. "You lucky devil. Every skill that alters the environment is at least Platinum-tier, and if the environmental impact is significant, it has to be Epic-tier or higher. You really are lucky, kid."

The old man clutched his chest with an expression of agony.

Xu Han was alarmed. "Senior, are you alright?" He couldn't afford to be responsible if he gave the man a heart attack.

The old man waved his hand. "I'm fine, just stimulated by you. Turn it off, quickly!"

Xu Han nodded and closed the skill panel.

"Alright, you don't need to call me 'Senior.' Just call me 'Old Deng'."

Xu Han: "???" He had never heard such a request in his life.

Seeing Xu Han’s strange expression, the old man asked, "What? Is there a problem?"

Xu Han asked cautiously, "Senior, may I ask why?"

The old man frowned and said, "Didn't that old geezer Ye Yuanzheng tell you?"

Xu Han shook his head.

"Hmph! Listen well: my name is Deng Tiange! The legendary Sword Immortal, Deng Tiange! You’ve never heard of me?"

Xu Han: "???"

Why did that name sound so familiar? *The road to heaven, walking to the beat of a song?*