Chapter 216
Chapter 216
Chapter 216
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 216 – Lan Qi Just Can’t Forget His Ambition
When the surroundings brightened again, what appeared was a stretch of emerald-green mountains extending to the horizon, verdant grasslands meeting a ribbon-like winding stream.
The stream, crystal clear and endlessly flowing, rippled with green waves that reflected the swaying silhouettes of trees. From afar, it was like a pure heavenly canopy, giving the scene a dreamlike, illusory quality.
Lan Qi was now standing on high ground, where irregular white stone walls layered together, forming a line that finally built into a solemn temple. Towering stone pillars, entwined with lush vines blooming with flowers, stood firm. The blossoms quivered gently in the breeze.
Each lofty, flawless stone column solidly supported a beautifully carved white ceiling, where embossed reliefs radiated a solemn, sacred aura.
The floor was polished like a mirror, reflecting sunlight that passed through the high-hanging chandelier. From the temple’s center, one glanced outward revealed the vast, refreshing green wilderness below.
“Didn’t think there’d be such a paradise-like place.”
Lan Qi muttered as he looked over this primeval, mysterious domain.
“……”
Kalian shot him a glanced, faintly speechless.
As expected of an outsider, he only saw the surface.
This realm looked vast, but in reality, it was nothing more than a projection created by supreme barrier techniques, similar in principle to an artificial shadow world.
Yet, it was not the same as a true shadow world—it fell far short.
It could be said to exist somewhere between an artificial shadow world and the real one.
And because of its flaws, one couldn’t travel far—leave the temple too much, and it became impossible to take even a step further.
Supporting this entire domain was a massive mural in the temple’s center.
The mural clearly wasn’t complete. One could easily tell it was the prototype of the [Primordial Stone Tablet – Wind] floating slab. It bore obvious traces of artificer modifications, filled with complex barrier inscriptions. Yet its very material wasn’t something human magical engineering could produce.
“Lan Qi, you’re not here to sightsee. If you want to gain insight, you should focus more on the mural.”
Kalian reminded him.
She still couldn’t tell exactly what Lan Qi’s level was, but ever since Loren said he was very skilled in card-making, she’d been curious.
A bit of exchange would make it easy to judge.
Lan Qi shifted his gaze to the mural, gradually falling into fascination.
Moments later, he finally spoke:
“They say when the thirty-two primordial murals are pieced together, they depict a grand Divine Age war, until the fall of the gods themselves, giving rise to the many races’ eras thereafter. Seeing it with my own eyes… truly breathtaking.”
“You really don’t care about the magical inscriptions on the mural at all?”
Kalian was deeply disappointed. How could he speak so seriously about something that was literally written in textbooks?
“I think the mural itself is more interesting.”
Lan Qi smiled.
“You can see that sort of thing in academy books.”
Especially the [Primordial Stone Tablet – Wind], which in recent years had already been thoroughly studied by academic circles.
“Seeing with your own eyes and just looking at an illustration aren’t the same.”
They walked and chatted, wandering about the temple.
Here, the spiritual pressure grew heavier over time. No matter one’s cultivation, after about two hours one would be forcibly expelled, and could never enter the same domain again. In that sense, it was closer to the true shadow world—non-repeatable.
How much one could comprehend from the mural’s inscriptions was usually determined quickly.
Sometimes, after gaining enough, one simply left, unwilling to suffer further spiritual strain. Many artificers had very short observation sessions.
Only card-makers tended to remain longer. Since this domain had a shadow-world-like structure, they could bring portable card-making kits as magical cards, use the unique materials within the domain to craft magical cards, then bind them to their soul and take them out.
That was why battlefield card-makers could increase their shadow-world harvests. When entering and leaving, only soul-bound cards could pass through. Thus, only cards forged within the shadow world could sometimes preserve precious materials taken during exploration.
In less than half an hour, the two had observed most of what they could.
“How do you feel, Lan Qi?”
Kalian asked with interest.
Now, her only curiosity was this: just how strong was Lan Qi’s card-making skill, as someone Loren personally valued?
“I couldn’t really understand the wind-element inscriptions. This time, I only broadened my horizons.”
Lan Qi spoke honestly.
To him, the scenery was beautiful, the mural impressive—styles he had never seen even as an art director.
But as for the wind-element inscriptions? He felt like someone with seven orifices, six of them blocked—completely clueless.
Like how an ordinary person couldn’t understand sealing magic, he couldn’t understand wind magic.
Unless he were to critique the mural as art, then he could say plenty.
“How adorable, Lan Qi.”
Kalian tilted her head, smiling.
“Are you still planning to make a card later?”
The temple’s materials weren’t particularly advanced—mostly scraps left from the primordial stone tablet.
If one couldn’t comprehend the inscriptions, then even using these similar materials would yield nothing of value.
“I can make one, or not. I’d like to keep looking at the mural.”
Lan Qi answered with a relaxed air.
“Then I won’t wait for you. I’ll be crafting here. You can watch. How much you understand will depend on your own perception.”
Kalian said kindly, like an older schoolmate.
On the surface, she was friendly, but in truth she still held a grudge. She wanted nothing more than a chance to put him down.
Card-making results were the most straightforward proof—just look at the card produced.
Outside, scholars and reporters were waiting. The stage for Lan Qi’s humiliation was already set.
And given how much of a magical engineering illiterate he had just shown himself to be, Loren had the gall to call him skilled?
Kalian found it laughable.
Soon, she would produce a fine card. And whatever Lan Qi cobbled together—it would show his true face.
“Mm.”
Lan Qi crossed his arms and sat on a staircase made of stone blocks, watching Kalian.
He wasn’t in a rush to craft. The inscriptions on the primordial tablet baffled him.
And he had never made wind-element cards before. His compatibility was poor. If the card didn’t explode on him, that would already be a blessing.
But watching Kalian work was valuable.
In the southeast of the southern continent, there were very few platinum-level card-makers.
And platinum certification required three platinum-level or higher card-makers as examiners.
Since the Yaloran Kingdom and the Hedon Kingdom shared one exam district, and with Duke Migaya’s vacancy, Lan Qi might be asked to serve as examiner.
Kalian would surely attempt the platinum exam one day—making her a fitting candidate.
So Lan Qi simply treated this as an early rehearsal of examiner duties.