[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens":3,"chapter-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-36":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Heir to the Kingdom of 1.4 Billion Citizens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270911,4434,"Chapter 36: Sensing Magic","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-36",36,"\u003Cp>Library.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scorching sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows, casting dappled shadows across the bookshelves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A petite, adorable girl with silver hair lounged on a hammock, swinging her small feet as she flipped through a book, while beside her, a black-haired young man sat cross-legged on the floor, buried in a book resting on his lap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Golden light bathed the two of them, filling the air with a quiet stillness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hum!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, a deep, resonant bell echoed from outside the window—long and heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bell rang three times before finally rousing Xia Mingyu from his book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifted his gaze from the page, gazing blankly at the girl on the hammock beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, that is the bell from the castle’s clock tower—it signals noon.” Elise whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before I knew it, the entire morning has passed!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu glanced at the dozen or so books scattered on the floor, stood up, tapped his numb thighs, then stretched his arms wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m starving,” Xia Mingyu realized, his stomach hollow as if he could devour a whole pig.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock knock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the oak door of the library was gently knocked upon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would come to the library at this hour? Could it be Viscount Hughes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With this thought, Xia Mingyu walked over and opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside stood a beautiful girl holding a food basket and an elderly man in a black tailcoat—Anliya and Old Xiao En.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, I prepared some food for you. When I heard from Master Xiao En that you were in the library, I brought it here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anliya gazed at the tall black-haired youth before her, a flicker of delight in her blue eyes; she presented the basket to Xia Mingyu with both hands, as if offering a treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet he did not take it. Instead, after a moment of thought, he turned his gaze to Old Xiao En.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Xiao En, may my maid and retainer enter the library?” Xia Mingyu asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowledge was the most precious treasure in the world—he naturally wished Anliya and Boge could read more of these books.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By principle, no,” Old Xiao En paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if it is your noble self, I believe even if we emptied the entire library, my master would laugh heartily and help us carry it out for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Xia Mingyu thought he would refuse, Old Xiao En suddenly shifted tone, bowing low in respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This old man, nearly half-buried in the grave, had a sense of humor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please convey my thanks to Viscount Hughes, and tell him I look forward to tonight’s banquet,” Xia Mingyu said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It would be my utmost honor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So many books! No wonder this is a noble library!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anliya covered her mouth, staring at the towering, layered bookshelves, her delicate face filled with awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Guolancun, the only book she had ever seen was a tattered literacy primer owned by her adoptive father, Luo Bo, shared by the entire village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anliya, you may read any book here. But I suggest you start with ‘Introduction to Blessings’ and ‘Comprehensive Guide to Blessings.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu said softly—Anliya still had no Zhiyejiahu  above her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to her, it was because Luo Bo forbade her from doing farm work, limiting her to kitchen chores, so she never became a Farmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Your Highness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flicker of gratitude shone in the girl’s eyes. She placed the basket on the floor and gently opened it—immediately, a faint scent of wheat and rich meat filled the air, drawing even Elise’s attention from her hammock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the basket lay three steaming white bread loaves and a large piece of caramel-colored meat, glazed with orange-yellow honey, its edges slightly curled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, this is honey-glazed deer leg, taught to me by Cook Mei from the castle. Please try it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anliya whispered, watching him with hopeful eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu picked up the fork and knife from the basket, cut a piece of honey-coated meat, then took a bite of white bread, alternating between bread and meat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, the wheat aroma of the bread mingled with the sweetness of honey, while the tender deer meat left an unforgettable aftertaste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu’s eyes involuntarily narrowed in pleasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Delicious,” he said sincerely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This taste was certainly no worse than those Michelin-starred restaurants on Blue Star—even if he’d never been to one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m glad you like it, Your Highness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing praise from her beloved, the girl’s face lit up like a sunflower blooming in spring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, where’s that boy Boge?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu munched on bread and deer meat as he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was already noon—hadn’t that boy gotten up yet?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Xiao En said that shortly after you woke up, he went to the castle’s training yard to learn swordsmanship from Knight Solin,” Anliya replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swordsmanship—Xia Mingyu recalled: the “Comprehensive Guide to Blessings” mentioned that the next advancement for Hunter was Hunter’s Pursuer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Literally speaking, sword skill didn’t seem to be a necessary condition for advancement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, this “Comprehensive Guide to Blessings” was more like a catalog—it only listed Zhiye  names, with zero details on advancement conditions or abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The barrier of knowledge is truly insurmountable,” Xia Mingyu sighed inwardly. He decided to ask Viscount Hughes next time they met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was a Morning Star-tier powerhouse and a noble lord—he must know far more than Xia Mingyu did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elise, would you like some?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eating about seven-tenths full, he handed the basket—still containing one bread loaf and one-fifth of the deer leg—to the silver-haired girl on the hammock, who had been secretly swallowing saliva.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness!” Elise accepted the basket with delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were your castle’s ingredients—why thank him? Xia Mingyu shrugged, deeply appreciating how pleasant it was to have a good title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Elise, if I want to become a mage, is the first step learning to sense magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Elise finished eating, he put down his “Basic Magic” book and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Your Highness. Sensing magic is indeed the first step on the path of magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise hurriedly rose from the hammock and stood upright, bowing respectfully in reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But…” Elise’s expression hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speak freely,” Xia Mingyu said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not everyone possesses the ability to sense magic. In fact, only a tiny fraction have this talent—and even then, it often takes years of meditation before they can successfully perceive magic,” Elise explained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though this might offend His Noble Highness, she felt it necessary to clarify—lest His Highness waste precious time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless nobles had spent years meditating as children in vain, hoping to become mages, only to squander their golden years of cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I already know this from the books. You only need to teach me how to meditate,” Xia Mingyu said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had read several books on magic, but they were all messy histories and introductions—none explained how to actually meditate or sense magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn knowledge barrier!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1154,"2026-06-19T22:18:43.340Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","6fb4ea4217c7aad8a1eaa382d900e806cab473421ca3d83824418d84cf5363b8","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-37","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-35",186,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fheir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-cover.jpg"]