Bai Shi chatted idly with Ranni while he searched for the historical materials he was after. Aside from a few comments at the beginning, Ranni had little to say. After all, she had spent most of her time asleep, so it fell to Bai Shi to tell various stories. They were mostly about things that happened on his adventures. Occasionally, Bai Shi would adapt some stories from his past life, which never failed to astonish Ranni. The concepts from Bai Shi’s world were utterly incredible in the Lands Between, and even after localizing them, they still sounded quite exaggerated. However, Ranni was not as innocent as Melina; her own life had been a legendary tale. So when she heard these stories with no basis or origin, she simply listened for the entertainment. After searching a section with no results, Bai Shi was about to move to another set of shelves when he noticed an exquisite little box on the shelf behind Rennala. Bai Shi glanced around but found no other boxes in the Grand Library. So what could be in this chest? Oh my, oh my, it’s just so hard to guess... So, this little box must contain Ranni’s wedding ring, right? The size seemed about right for holding a piece of jewelry. The box required a special key and couldn't be opened now. Still, Bai Shi reached out and touched the box, giving it a try anyway. His actions naturally drew Ranni’s attention. Ranni floated in the air, watching for a moment before trying to recall what was inside that chest. It seemed her mother had once told her it was an important item for the future of a Carian princess... Hm... Hmm? Wasn’t that the wedding ring her mother had prepared for her? Ranni’s expression grew stern. What was this? Her mother had kept it all this time! She had made it perfectly clear that her dark path required no one’s company! When Ranni had first seen the ring, she had even specifically inscribed it to show her refusal to accept the fate of an Empyrean and reject the consort who was destined for her. Seeing Bai Shi examining the box, the composure on Ranni’s face began to waver. If Bai Shi really decided to force it open, she probably wouldn't be able to stop him. She had to make him lose interest in the box, and quickly. Ranni cleared her throat lightly from the air, getting Bai Shi’s attention. “Ahem, you shouldn’t touch other people’s things without permission.” From what Ranni knew of Bai Shi, he was a man of high morals and etiquette. After she said that, he would surely stop trying to open it. Seeing Ranni’s intervention, Bai Shi abandoned his attempt to tamper with the chest. He then feigned ignorance and asked Ranni: “My apologies, I was just a bit curious. It looks box has been in the Grand Library for a long time.” “I can’t help but wonder what’s inside.” Ranni opened her mouth to speak, her expression a little stiff. She quickly tried to fudge an answer. “Inside is... an item prepared by my mother. I imagine its day to see the light will never come.” Oh, so it was a mysterious treasure left by the Full Moon Queen. Who would have guessed it was the cold, contractual ring of the ‘Lunar Princess’ Ranni? —A large ring crafted in the image of the dark full moon. It was the cold contract ring that ‘Lunar Princess’ Ranni intended to give to her consort. Although Bai Shi couldn’t get the ring now, seeing the composure vanish from Ranni’s face was a delightful treat in itself. After teasing Ranni a bit, Bai Shi went back to searching for the information he needed. Ranni breathed a sigh of relief, then began to inwardly chastise herself. She shouldn't have said anything. Why had she inexplicably played along with his question? Ranni once again recalled the fate she had glimpsed before. Could it be... that there really was such a thing as destiny? No, no, better not to think about it. Time ticked by. Bai Shi and Ranni had scoured more than half the library but still had nothing to show for it. Even Ranni was starting to suspect that there was some unknown secret at play. This was all too strange. Suddenly, Ranni noticed something odd about one of the bookshelves. In one of its compartments was a hidden panel, one that could only be perceived with magic. Moreover, the panel was designed so exquisitely that even a sorceress of her caliber had almost overlooked it. Ranni drifted closer to inspect it, her eyes slowly widening. This panel wasn’t just exquisitely designed; it appeared to be the handiwork of her mother, Rennala... Ranni acted at once, deftly undoing the seal on the secret panel and opening it. As the panel swung open, Ranni’s brows furrowed even deeper. Because this was undoubtedly a seal set by her mother. If not for the connection between the moons, Ranni herself might not have been able to open it. Within the hidden compartment lay an object covered by a white cloth embroidered with the sigil of the Golden Erdtree. From the corner that was showing, it appeared to be a heavy stone slab. Nothing records history better than a stone slab. Ranni took it out from the compartment. She had a faint premonition; it seemed they had found it. Googlᴇ search 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⁂𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⁂𝓷𝓮𝓽 Cradling the stone slab, Ranni drifted down from the air toward Bai Shi below. “I found something peculiar.” “My mother sealed it within a hidden compartment. It was very difficult to spot.” “If I’m not mistaken, this is probably what you were looking for.” Bai Shi looked up and saw the stone slab in Ranni’s arms, his face lighting up with joy. “Excellent! I’m glad you were here to find its hiding place.” “Otherwise, I might have searched forever and never found it.” Ranni floated to Bai Shi’s side and handed him the heavy stone slab. “After searching for so long, I’ve grown curious myself.” “Let’s look at it together.” Bai Shi nodded, waiting until Ranni had drifted behind him before reaching out to pull the white cloth away. But as the cloth embroidered with the Erdtree’s sigil was removed, a fine, intersecting grid of golden lines appeared before Bai Shi’s eyes. The next moment, a violent flash of golden light erupted, piercing straight into his eyes. Sensing trouble, Bai Shi squeezed his eyes shut, but it was too late. The face of a handsome, red-haired man appeared out of thin air in his mind—it was Ranni’s father, Radagon. Radagon gave Bai Shi a emotionless glance, then raised the stone hammer in his hand. The hammer fell, and Bai Shi’s very soul trembled. An indescribable pain washed over him again and again. Radagon! You schemed against me! This was the first time Bai Shi had ever suffered an injury to his soul since transmigrating. All his previous pains and injuries seemed trivial in comparison to this torment. This was one hundred percent pure, unblockable damage! The phantom of Radagon had not yet vanished and was already raising its arm for another strike. Unfortunately, Bai Shi had never anticipated such a scenario and had no means to defend himself. In the midst of his agony, something pressed against his forehead. The next moment, a cold, dark moon appeared in his mind. Seeing this, Radagon’s phantom froze, its hammer halting in mid-air. But Ranni’s dark moon had no intention of letting him go. Frost crept over Radagon’s body, encasing him completely, and then the ice shattered, taking the phantom with it. From the moment Ranni’s power intervened, Radagon’s phantom had remained motionless, allowing her to destroy it. After the phantom disappeared, the cold dark moon continued to emanate a chilling aura. But this coldness was soothing the pain in Bai Shi’s soul. Before long, the tiny fractures in his soul were more or less healed by Ranni. When Bai Shi opened his eyes, he saw Ranni’s face right in front of his. Her eyes were closed, her forehead pressed against his. Sensing that Bai Shi had mostly recovered, Ranni opened her eyes as well. They stared at each other, and the situation suddenly became strangely awkward. After a moment, Ranni silently floated backward a short distance. But it was clear she was not as calm as she appeared on the surface; she accidentally bumped into a bookshelf behind her. Seeing this, Bai Shi quickly spoke up to give her an out. “Thank you for stepping in just now. Otherwise, I would have been in for a rough time.” Ranni turned her face slightly away and said: “Ahem... It’s nothing. That was the man who abandoned my mother—my bastard father, Radagon.” “Since it was his doing, I was going to intervene no matter what.” “Getting involved in matters of the soul is complicated. That posture was the most convenient...” “Never mind. Just forget what just happened... You must forget it!” Bai Shi nodded, swearing he had already forgotten the incident. If Ranni hadn’t intervened so quickly, his soul would have probably sustained lasting damage and wouldn't have healed so fast. Though he took a hammer from his father-in-law, it wasn’t a serious problem. Even if Radagon had hit him a few more times, he couldn't have killed Bai Shi from afar. Besides, he got to be close with her. Not only did he not lose out, he came out way ahead. A massive win. Ranni shook her head, annoyed with herself. “Sigh... I never thought that bastard father of mine would leave such a trick behind.” “I should have checked it first.” “An attack like that wouldn’t have harmed me, but for you, who hasn’t studied the soul, it was quite severe.” The moment the attack was triggered, the protections inscribed upon Ranni’s own soul had automatically defended against it. That freed her up to deal with the phantom Bai Shi was facing. Bai Shi murmured the name, feeling more and more certain that this part of history concealed a major secret. And this secret was undoubtedly tied to the Golden Dynasty; it was likely some dark stain they had deliberately covered up. It was clear that although Radagon had left a trap on the slab, he actually wanted someone to discover this history. After all, a physical object would have been easy to deal with—he could have simply taken it away or destroyed it. Surely Rennala didn’t keep it just because of Radagon’s mark on it. Bai Shi picked up the stone slab, which was still covered in the grid of golden lines. He had taken a hit from it earlier, but since Ranni could handle it, there was no need to be overly cautious. This time, there was no attacking phantom. However, some power still lingered on it, and as Bai Shi stared at it, he felt a stinging sensation in his mind. The intensity wasn't high. Perhaps he could use this as a tool to train his soul in the future. For now, though, he should try to break the seal.