Before the towering iron gates of the White River City Library.
Aside from a large number of NPCs coming and going, plenty of players were gathered around the gates, unable to get in no matter what. They were all trying to cozy up to the passing NPCs, boosting their affinity in hopes of being taken inside.
Some female players with decent looks were even pulling out every trick to charm noble NPCs.
The ones doing all of this were magic-class players — Elementalists, Warlocks, Summoners.
As for why these players wanted to enter the library?
Because they wanted to learn powerful skills. Aside from drops from monsters and dungeons, many of the advanced skills commonly used by magic classes could be learned at the library. Healers, on the other hand, went to the Temple of Light to learn their skills, unlike other physical classes who all visited the Temple of Revelation to find their class instructors.
This was already covered in his White River City guide, which was why they'd come. After all, compared to weapons and gear, skill upgrades offered an easier power boost.
If a player could learn these advanced skills, their strength would take a massive leap. However, the cost of learning was steep, and there was a whole series of quests to complete — very time-consuming. So Shi Feng had never bothered. The skills he'd already learned were no worse than those advanced ones, so there was no point wasting his time.
As Shi Feng headed toward the library entrance, some players watched with cold eyes and sneers plastered on their faces.
"Look, another newbie bold enough to walk right in."
"How many has that been now?"
"Let's see how the guards boot him out."
Most of them had already been kicked around by the gate guards. Without a pass, you'd get chased off the moment you approached. Light punishment meant getting kicked out; severe meant getting locked up. But only the troublemakers got that kind of treatment.
Just as Shi Feng was about to reach the locked iron gates, a female Elementalist player grabbed his arm.
"You don't have a library pass, do you? Those guards will kick players out. You'd better not go near them," she warned kindly.
Shi Feng already knew this, but the woman meant well, so he turned to look at her.
He was struck by how pretty she was. Among female Elementalists, only the Scarlet Flame Witch Zhao Yueru could surpass her. She was decked out in a full set of Black Iron equipment — all below Level 10, sure, but still impressive, since this woman was a free player. Acquiring gear was infinitely harder for solo players than for guild members.
Yet for some reason, she gave him a vague sense of familiarity — though he couldn't place where they'd ever met. He activated his Eye of Observation to check her name.
Siyu Qingxuan.
This ID rang zero bells. He was absolutely certain that in his previous life, no top-tier female player had gone by this name. If she wasn't a top player, then where was this feeling of recognition coming from?
Shi Feng shook his head. If he couldn't figure it out, he'd just let it go. Maybe it was just a side effect of being reborn.
"Thanks," he said with a genuine nod.
"If you want to get into the library, you should get a pass first. Or you could try buddying up to the noble NPCs like the others — they're the ones who hand them out," Siyu Qingxuan said with a soft smile, noticing that at least Shi Feng had the manners to say thank you. She gestured toward a noble NPC being swarmed by players nearby.
"Miss Siyu, are you trying to get into the library too?" Shi Feng asked.
"Mm, but those noble NPCs are so disgusting that I was actually thinking about leaving to find a pass somewhere else." She nodded, but the mere mention of those bloated, greasy nobles brought a look of distaste to her face.
"Then why not come in with me?" Shi Feng suggested.
"Go in?" Siyu Qingxuan looked at him, surprised. "Don't tell me you have a pass?"
"No," Shi Feng shook his head and explained. "But I have another way in."