Chapter 305: The Yellow King

【Item Name: Book of Magnus (Copy)】

【Origin: Prospero】

【Evaluation: An immortal grimoire compiled by Primarch Magnus from arcane knowledge gathered during the Great Crusade; its knowledge is so vast and complex that the book itself developed a craving for learning and absorbing information, and these ever-expanding bodies of knowledge, legends, stories, magics, and myths intertwine within to form a peculiar realm—each copy of the Book of Magnus serves as an entrance to it.】

【Production Date: 799. 30】

【Evaluation: No one understands the Warp better than I do!】

【Value: 999, 99, 99】

Zhou Yun was slightly surprised—the book Saint Guilliman had casually pulled from the shelf was none other than the famed Book of Magnus.

This book not only recorded vast amounts of knowledge but also contained sealed within it countless demons, xenos, and other Warp entities, and even its knowledge had spontaneously formed a pocket dimension.

The beings sealed inside resided in that pocket dimension, their number and caliber rivaling even the Black Library beneath the Emperor's Throne—a place so terrifying that even Warp demons would call it unnatural.

After all, only the most exceptional beings were worthy of being imprisoned within; those confined were handpicked by Magnus, their Warp density exceeding even that of the Warp itself.

As for the knowledge within, each entry was more weighty than the last—for instance, the infamous Red Glyph Spell, which had annihilated the entire Thousand Sons Legion.

The copy in Zhou Yun's hands was not the original held by Magnus, but a copy—less powerful than the original, yet still capable of connecting to the knowledge realm within.

"Do not read this for now," Saint Guilliman whispered in warning. "The knowledge and the entities sealed within—even for Magnus himself—are extremely dangerous."

Here, Saint Guilliman paused.

"And do not sell it," he said. "My visions show this book will be of use in the future."

Zhou Yun nodded slightly—Saint Guilliman's visions were generally reliable.

He directly shoved the copy deep into his fourth-dimensional pocket.

That way, he needn't worry about something crawling out of the book—if anything did, it would just be free money for Zhou Yun.

Saint Guilliman continued walking ahead of Zhou Yun, using his precognitive abilities to occasionally stop and pull several books from the shelves, handing them to Zhou Yun.

Unlike the Book of Magnus, which Saint Guilliman could recognize, most of these books were merely ones he sensed had value—Zhou Yun would need his fourth-dimensional pocket to determine their true worth.

"This is the Eldar Exorcism Codex, recording the true names of six thousand six hundred and sixty-six great demons."

"This is the Star-God's Notebook, a summary by an ancient Eldar warrior of the star-gods he encountered."

"This is the Complete Book of Demons, an illustrated bestiary of Warp entities."

"This is the Emerald Codex, written by Hermes himself—actually, the Emperor in disguise—containing the most primitive biological alchemy."

"This pile—The Empire That Was Not Remembered: The Betrayals of Three Primarchs—is the Eldar Jester's account of the Second Empire's history—"

"Just sell that pile of Second Empire stuff," Saint Guilliman said, his expression twitching slightly.

"No problem. Send it to the Library of Ptolemy," Zhou Yun said, shoving the books into his fourth-dimensional pocket.

"Don't add to Digeris's workload," Saint Guilliman sighed, shaking his head. "He's nearly driven mad trying to cover up that history."

Digeris had been busy in the Library of Ptolemy destroying—no, editing—the history of the Second Empire.

Sending this pile of Eldar accounts into his hands would force him to work overtime again.

Suddenly, Saint Guilliman stopped beside a nearly empty bookshelf.

On it lay only a single plain leather-bound notebook, centered as if the other books nearby feared its contents and had recoiled away.

Saint Guilliman slowly reached out and lifted the notebook, gazing at the text on its cover.

He furrowed his brow slightly—the script was clearly unfamiliar even to him, resembling some ancient cuneiform.

Saint Guilliman handed the notebook to Zhou Yun.

"You read it," Saint Guilliman whispered.

His meaning was clear: Zhou Yun should consume the Translation Tuber to decipher the cuneiform script.

"Do you recognize this notebook?" Zhou Yun asked curiously.

"This cuneiform likely originated in the Fertile Crescent. Few can use it anymore."

Saint Guilliman stared at the notebook and said:

"You can probably guess—it was the first script the Emperor ever learned. Even among the Primarchs, few understood it."

"Only He himself, the Immortals, or those who always walked beside Him could read it. I do not know which one wrote this."

"Yet this notebook itself holds no power, not even a trace of psychic energy. I doubt it was written by the Emperor's own hand."

A notebook written by someone close to the Emperor?

Who? Macarthur? Eldar? Or—Alpharius?

Zhou Yun immediately placed the notebook into his fourth-dimensional pocket and scanned it.

【Item Name: The Book of the Yellow King】

【Origin: Terra】

【Evaluation: A notebook written by the being known as the Yellow King, composed in an obscure ancient cuneiform script protected by the Emperor's power—only a select few are permitted to fully decipher it.】

【Production Date: 211. 31】

【Evaluation: Contains a few incantations】

【Value: 13, 00, 00】

"What the hell?" Zhou Yun raised an eyebrow.

First startled by the price of thirteen million, then by the word "incantations," and finally by the phrase "Yellow King."

In an instant, Zhou Yun's first thought was: Had Hastur from the Cthulhu universe crossed over?

Then he recalled from his past life what the "Yellow King" truly was.

The Yellow King was a strange and mysterious entity, deeply tied to the Wenda School, whose origins traced back to the builders of the Tower of Babel in ancient Terra. One of its goals was to find the Emperor's true name—but no one knew why, nor what purpose it served.

Incantations were a form of language capable of warping reality, requiring no psychic power—merely speaking them aloud was enough to enact their effects, though the user themselves suffered harm from the incantations. This unique language had once been stored within the Tower of Babel, built by the Wenda School's predecessor, but was later conquered by the Emperor and destroyed by the First Warmaster, Alpharius.

No wonder Saint Guilliman deemed this ordinary, powerless notebook so precious.

Even the few incantations recorded within were invaluable.

As he relayed the information from his fourth-dimensional pocket to Saint Guilliman, Zhou Yun summoned a Translation Tuber.

The script in this notebook was protected by the Emperor's power—no doubt why the author dared to write it.

But the Translation Tuber allowed Zhou Yun to read any script without restriction.

"Yellow King, Emperor's True Name," Saint Guilliman murmured softly, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.

Even he did not know who the Yellow King was, nor had he noticed the Yellow King's actions.

To evade his foresight, the Yellow King must be either immensely powerful or protected by some mysterious entity.

Zhou Yun swallowed the Translation Tuber whole and opened the notebook.

"I am the failure. I am the one who failed to fulfill my mission. I am the traitor."

"I failed to protect my master, and ultimately betrayed Him."

"The Sun God built false reason upon primordial chaos, but now the rational world has crumbled beneath the tide of Chaos."

"The madness, folly, and irrationality of the Wine God have resurfaced, yet the Wolf granted the Wine God chose a path different from mine."

"'I shall save His life,' the Wolf granted the Wine God said to me: 'I shall seek the Tree of Life and bring Him back to the mortal realm.'"

"I argued with the Wolf granted the Wine God. I believed all followed my master's plan, but the Wolf rebuked me."

"O Wolf granted the Wine God, our fates and our spears are equal yet opposite."

"You are savage and mad, named for the Wine God, clad as a wolf, yet your spear brings truth to others."

"I was forged in the image of reason, named for the Sun God, clad in perfection, yet my spear steals truth from others."

"If you choose to save my master's life, what choice must I make?"

"Have you heard the thirteen whispers that never cease in my ears? Have you heard my master's thirteen commands?"

"I hold the spear that knows all, yet I know nothing of my master, unaware of the mission I must bear."

"I wander day and night before His throne, gazing again and again at His silent form, clutching the Sun God granted to me."

"I can no longer endure this meaningless existence, my master."

"Thus, I was seized by the madness of the wild wolf, seized an opportunity to face my master alone, and committed an unforgivable sin."

"I am the Imperial Guard granted the Sun God. I am the failed guardian. I am the one who steals truth."

"Thus, with the heart of a wild wolf, I drove the Spear of the Sun God into the master of mankind."

(End of Chapter)