The library…and the encounter with the bard…

Chapter 671: The Library… An Encounter with the Bard…

[You have gifted your subordinate: Gwyneth her favorite gift. Loyalty has increased. Current Loyalty: 100]

Seeing the notification, a smile appeared on Cao Xing's face.

He clapped his hands, stood up, and said, "You continue reading, I'll head out now."

"If there's anything you need, or if anything comes up, just come find me."

After speaking, Cao Xing prepared to turn and leave.

At this moment, Gwyneth's soft voice reached his ears.

"Please wait a moment, Lord—"

Cao Xing stopped his steps, turned back, and asked in confusion, "Is there something the matter?"

Gwyneth nodded gently, "I recently—composed a piece of music myself,"

"Since you gave me a new instrument, I would like to play it for you."

She paused, then continued, "Of course, if you don't have time right now, there is no need."

Hearing this, Cao Xing became somewhat interested.

Since he didn't have anything urgent to attend to right now, he nodded and said, "Alright, let me hear it then."

Seeing that Cao Xing agreed, a gentle smile appeared on Gwyneth's face again.

She stood up, brought over a chair from the side, and placed it gently opposite her.

Then she said softly, "Lord, please sit opposite me."

"This is—"

At this point, her voice paused slightly, and a faint blush appeared on her face, "This is a performance just for you—"

Cao Xing was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, "Alright."

Afterward, he sat down opposite Gwyneth.

The distance between their knees was no more than a dozen centimeters, and he could even smell the faint fragrance emanating from Gwyneth's body.

Then, Gwyneth gently caressed the strings of the harp, her fingertips trembling slightly.

She then lightly plucked the first note.

"Zheng~"

The melodious sound of the harp rang out, as if a gentle breeze were brushing across his heart.

Gwyneth closed her eyes slightly, her expression focused and tender.

Ten seconds later, she slowly began to sing, "You float above the glistening rooftops, drifting across the lake scattered with lily petals…"

"The cold wind blows, like a whisper, like a sob—"

Her clear, bright singing voice was like a mountain spring, flowing through the quiet library.

"Just because the years roll by, time flies like a shuttle, silently and imperceptibly—"

"You and I shall be together forever, entwined in love—"

The harp music was winding and melodious, and the singing was ethereal and beautiful.

At this moment, Cao Xing felt as if he had been brought into a dreamlike world.

For the first time, he was so immersed in it that the surrounding hustle and bustle and even time itself seemed to have quietly come to a standstill, leaving only Gwyneth and the notes flowing from her fingertips before his eyes.

Because they were so close, Cao Xing could even see the subtle expressions on Gwyneth's face.

No matter from which angle he looked, the woman before him was so beautiful.

As Gwyneth's performance reached its peak, Cao Xing was completely mesmerized.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but the harp music gradually faded away.

Gwyneth softly sang the final line.

"Let the years roll by, let time fly like a shuttle"

"My love, please sing with me once more—"

As the singing ceased, the air seemed to still hold the lingering resonance, refusing to dissipate for a long time.

At this moment, Cao Xing was still immersed in Gwyneth's beautiful face and her enchanting voice.

It wasn't until a system notification brought him back to reality.

[You have listened to Gwyneth's performance and entered the [Poem of Freedom] state. Evasion Rate +30%, Movement Speed +20%, duration 10 minutes. Under the effect of the talent [Eternal Power], this state has become permanent.]

The clarity gradually returned to Cao Xing's eyes, and the dreamlike world around him vanished.

He sighed, "That was truly beautiful—"

"Gwyneth, this piece is truly excellent. You possess stunning talent."

Hearing Cao Xing's heartfelt praise, the bard before him smiled faintly.

"Thank you for your praise."

"You are also the most considerate lord I have ever met."

Her voice was filled with a special emotion.

Immediately, she lowered her head slightly, her voice so soft it was almost a murmur.

"If you like it, you can come here to find me anytime—"

"I—I can perform for you alone."

At this point, a blush appeared on her face again.

From Cao Xing's perspective, Gwyneth looked exceptionally moving at this moment.

Her expression was gentle and shy, and combined with the unique charm she had exuded while singing just now, she was like a goddess in charge of the sounds of nature.

It made one feel like falling in love.

At this moment, an indescribable emotion welled up in Cao Xing's heart.

He reached out and gently grasped Gwyneth's hand.

At this moment, the bard's body trembled slightly, and a hint of panic appeared in her bright pupils.

However, she did not pull away, but instead bowed her head submissively, the blush on her cheeks becoming even more prominent.

"Gwyneth." Cao Xing's voice rang out.

Hearing the call, the bard gently raised her head.

The next moment, she saw a familiar face rapidly approaching.

Before she could react, she found her lips had already been blocked.

"Mmph—"

A soft sound escaped Gwyneth's lips, and her body instantly tensed, appearing very nervous.

At this moment, Cao Xing grasped her hand.

Gwyneth's fingers curled slightly, seemingly responding to Cao Xing's touch, and the nervousness in her heart dissipated a little.

Then, she seemed to adapt and responded gently.

Cao Xing could smell the breath exhaled from her nose, and there was a hint of sweet taste—

A few minutes later, the two parted lips.

Gwyneth quickly took a deep breath.

"Huu…"

She gently patted her chest, as if calming her racing heartbeat.

At this moment, Cao Xing said, "Sorry… I couldn't help myself just now."

"I did that without your consent—"

There was no helping it; Gwyneth in that state just now was simply too charming.

Hearing this, the bard shook her head gently and said, "It's alright—"

"When I was singing at the tavern, I often saw such things."

"There were also some impolite guests who harassed me, but they were all stopped by the guards of the Woodpecker Chamber of Commerce."

At this point, she said softly, "I—I was also a bit curious, what kind of experience is it to do this kind of thing?"

After hearing this, Cao Xing asked tentatively, "Then, shall we continue?"

The bard hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently and said, "Mm—"

Her voice was very soft, and after speaking, she lowered her head, looking even more embarrassed.

At this moment, Cao Xing wrapped one arm around her waist and scooped her up under her knees with the other.

He lifted her directly from the chair and placed her in his arms.

After the initial panic, she reacted and wrapped her arms around Cao Xing's neck.

However, the next moment, Gwyneth suddenly felt a large hand appear at her lower leg.

It gradually stroked over her knees, thighs, and that area—

Gwyneth's body trembled, and her limbs couldn't help but tense up.

But she still endured it and didn't make a move.

However, that hand seemed to become increasingly unrestrained.

It stroked her smooth skin and continued all the way up.

"How does it feel?" Cao Xing asked.

Gwyneth's face was now incomparably flushed.

She nodded and said, "I'm okay."

"Lord… please—please continue—"

Upon hearing this, Cao Xing didn't say anything more and proceeded directly to the next step.

"Rustle…"

As piece after piece of clothing fell away, a slender body curled up in Cao Xing's arms.

Gwyneth was very light, weighing even less than a hundred jin.

However, despite this weight, her figure appeared very well-proportioned.

Her fair skin was tinted with a faint pink, and her jade breasts stood firm.

Added to that were her slender waist and perky buttocks.

This figure, while not as exaggerated as Hilda and Xia Yanni, was still quite excellent.

Moreover, the aura she exuded perfectly matched this body type.

If it were any more exaggerated, it would actually ruin this aesthetic.

Cao Xing nodded secretly, sighing inwardly, "Another stunner—"

At this moment, his robes and clothes had also been removed.

The two bodies embraced each other, feeling the warmth of the other's body.

This was the first time Gwyneth had such intimate contact with a man.

Cao Xing's solid chest brought her waves of security, and at the same time, she felt…

At this moment, after experiencing the initial shyness, Gwyneth also gradually began to let go.

She anticipated what was coming next and took the initiative to say, "My Lord—please, just do it."

Cao Xing nodded, "Alright."

It was two hours later.

Cao Xing tidied his clothes and straightened up the messy bookshelves and chairs around them.

To the side, Gwyneth had already put her long dress back on and was sitting there quietly.

Cao Xing looked at her and said, "Gwyneth, I'm heading out now."

"If you're not comfortable moving around, don't go to the tavern to sing tonight."

The bard had regained her composure. She nodded and said, "I understand. Thank you for your concern."

After a pause, she continued, "Also, today's experience was quite nice."

Having said that, she turned her head away, seemingly too embarrassed to look this way.

Hearing this, a smile appeared on Cao Xing's face. "Alright, I'll come find you again when I have time."

"Mm—" Gwyneth responded softly.

Then, Cao Xing pushed open the closed library doors.

As he strolled through his territory, images of Gwyneth's graceful body and her stunning, divine face kept flashing through his mind.

He even felt like turning back to have another round.

But upon realizing that this was the woman's first time today…

…and it had lasted an hour and a half right off the bat, even with her physique, she would need some time to recover.

Cao Xing shook his head, casting all these thoughts out of his mind.

"I should think about what tasks I still have left to complete."

He quickly reviewed the situation.

Then, he muttered to himself, "Aside from the ancient ruins in over half a month, in seven days, the system will launch two new events: the Mist Fragment Layer and the Golden Skratt's Treasure."

"These two events seem quite important and shouldn't be missed. I need to arrange the time and personnel for them."

"Beyond these near-term tasks, I also have a few long-term goals."

"For instance: the S-rank mission 'Uprooted', the SS-rank mission: 'Balthazar's True God Trial', and the 'Land of Divine War' that Luo mentioned."

These three are all major missions, and each one is extremely difficult.

"The S-rank mission goes without saying; there's no hope of completing it right now."

"Since that old geezer, the God of Light, hasn't come over, the only way to take him out is if I run to the Abyssal Land."

"As for the Land of Divine War, I don't even know where it is."

At this moment, a flash of inspiration crossed Cao Xing's mind.

Back then—in that Sword Saint legacy, the phantom left behind by the Sword Saint had once mentioned something.

Malenia was someone he had picked up in the 'Land of Divine War'.

Perhaps she knows the location of the Land of Divine War. "However—the difficulty of this map must be immense, containing some kind of terrifying danger."

"After all, even that Legendary Sword Saint ended up dying after stepping in there."

"To head to the Land of Divine War, I need to improve my strength a bit more."

Since both of these matters were at a stalemate, there was only one mission left to do.

The SS-rank mission: Balthazar's True God Trial.

Although its difficulty is higher than 'Uprooted', it increases gradually, ring by ring.

The first ring is to kill a Legendary monster.

With Cao Xing's strength, he could already easily complete this mission.

"Very good. It just so happens I'm planning to get some blood and other materials from Legendary monsters for Francesca to develop Legendary potions. Next, I can take advantage of these few days before the Dream Fragment Layer opens to go ahead and complete the first ring of this SS-rank mission."

Cao Xing quickly clarified his thoughts.

"However—to do this SS-rank mission, I must first find the location of the Vortex Mountain."

"I haven't heard of this location before, so I'd better ask someone."

Thinking of this, Cao Xing pressed the communication device on his ear.

"Static… static…"

After a burst of crackling, an old and steady voice sounded in his ear.

"Lord Cao Xing, this is Eldon. Please, speak."

Yes, the person Cao Xing contacted was the Ice Crystal King.

After all, the Western Continent is simply too vast; trying to find a specific location based on just a name is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Therefore, the best method was to leverage his connections and see if the old King knew anything.

Upon hearing Cao Xing's question, the Ice Crystal King was silent for a moment.

Then he replied, "Lord Cao Xing, I have thought about it carefully, and I have not heard of any place called 'Vortex Mountain' before."

Hearing this, Cao Xing frowned.

Even the Ice Crystal King, who has lived for hundreds of years, doesn't know?

Then this place is truly mysterious!

Or is it that Vortex Mountain is hidden somewhere and requires specific conditions to enter?

Thoughts flashed through his mind.

The Ice Crystal King continued, "But don't worry, I will go ask the other kings to see if they know where 'Vortex Mountain' is."

"With their background and experience, there should be some clues."

Cao Xing was slightly stunned, then replied with a smile, "Then I will have to trouble Your Majesty."

The voice on the other end replied slowly, "It's just a small favor."

"Once those fellows hear it's your request, I'm sure they will be very happy to help."

"After all, this time, we all owe you a massive favor."

Cao Xing smiled and said nothing more.

After hanging up the communication, he waited silently.

About half an hour later, news came back from the Ice Crystal King.

"Lord Cao Xing, I regret to say that I asked a few old friends I know, and none of them have heard of the location of 'Vortex Mountain'."

Cao Xing was somewhat surprised. Even with the old King mobilizing his connections, no one knew of this place?

Could this 'Vortex Mountain' really be hidden in some special area?

Of course, there is another possibility: 'Vortex Mountain' has been renamed or forgotten by people.

After all, the era of Balthazar was over ten thousand years ago.

Ten thousand years… a true changing of the world.

The beings of that era have almost all passed away, and much of history has been forgotten.

At this moment, the Ice Crystal King continued, "Lord Cao Xing, I have already instructed them, and everyone will dispatch some personnel to search for the location."

"If there is any news, I will notify you immediately."

Cao Xing replied, "Then I'll leave it to you, Your Majesty."

"Why so polite?" the old King smiled.

Then, the two of them discussed some other matters like old friends before hanging up.

A moment later, Cao Xing stared ahead, thinking, "Since the Ice Crystal King and the others don't know about it, and this Vortex Mountain is related to the God of War, I'm afraid the chances of finding it are very slim."

"To be safe, I should send someone out to look for it as well."

"It just so happens I have nothing to do during this time."

Thus, he called over that cold and aloof Dragon Empress.

"Bing Lan, although you just returned today and haven't rested for long…"

"…I have another matter that I need you to do."

The Dragon Empress said indifferently, "Speak."

After speaking, she realized that she seemed a bit too cold.

Thus, her expression softened slightly, and she said, "It's fine, go ahead. I have nothing else to do anyway."

Cao Xing knew that this was just her personality, so he didn't mind.

"Go outside and help me inquire about a place called Vortex Mountain."

"However, this place might have been renamed, or it might have been forgotten in some corner."

"But what is certain is that there is a very strong Legendary monster in this place, the Extreme Cold Demonic Insect."

"Just search based on this clue."

After listening to Cao Xing's account, Bing Lan nodded slightly. "Understood, I will set off now."

The next moment, she summoned the dragon Seraphis.

"Whoosh—"

Seraphis's massive body quickly descended before the two of them.

Just as Bing Lan was about to jump onto the dragon's back…

Cao Xing suddenly called out to her.

"Oh right, Bing Lan, regarding that Legendary weapon you mentioned last time: the Dance of Fine Snow, do you know the specific location of the kingdom where it's located?"