Chapter 218
Chapter 218
Chapter 218
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 218 – Judge Lan Qi This Time Gave a Suspended Death Sentence
The central hall of the Sage Academy’s Ancient Tower Library was usually a quiet, solemn place, but today it buzzed with unusual liveliness.
On the ornate mosaic tiles and carpets stood numerous scholars, all crowding around Kalian, exchanging thoughts, busily confirming and asking about every detail they cared about. From time to time, they turned to their colleagues to discuss. The air was filled with a tension that was at once nervous and excited.
Even though the [Primordial Tablet – Wind] had already been thoroughly researched, a pink–sacred magic card based on improvements of its barrier structure still held extremely high academic value!
At this moment, the ground floor no longer resembled a quiet temple of knowledge, but more like the vibrant scene of an academic conference.
Even Lan Qi’s return barely drew much attention.
Only Loren, who had just reclaimed the [Primordial Tablet – Wind], first noticed him.
“……”
He wanted to speak, but when his eyes fell on the card in Lan Qi’s hand, his words halted.
“Lan Qi has also returned.”
The dispersal of the void gate caused a ripple of magical fluctuation, soon drawing others’ gazes.
However—
They either showed brief surprise before turning their attention back to Kalian, or else looked puzzled.
Because in Lan Qi’s hand was a bleak white card.
Its grade seemed extremely low, its magical presence almost nonexistent.
“Please excuse me for a moment.”
Kalian, noticing Lan Qi, quickly apologized to the surrounding scholars and jogged to his side.
“Lan Qi, it looks like you didn’t do too well this time. I heard Headmaster Loren praising you—I thought you’d at least manage a tier-four purple magic card.”
She tilted her head, gazing at Lan Qi’s face as she spoke.
In her mind, she was already certain of Lan Qi’s level.
About as weak as a rookie.
She even had to resist the urge to laugh.
So this is the so-called genius cardmaker of Sage Academy? I thought he’d be impressive.
If Lan Qi had at least produced a higher-tier blue card, that would still have been something. But a lowly white card—these were the sort of beginner tools or weak-effect trinkets even freshmen of the Magic Engineering Academy could make.
Nearby scholars remained silent.
They could see clearly enough—this wasn’t a matter of “bad luck.”
If things went wrong, you either blew up the card or ended up with a defective product that dropped in grade. Kalian was essentially calling Lan Qi weak, though she avoided saying it outright.
“Rather than calling it poor performance, I’d say this is simply the extent of my ability.”
Lan Qi’s voice was calm.
“……”
Hearing him refuse to make excuses, Kalian was slightly startled, lips parting.
She had expected him to show some frustration at least, given how highly praised he’d been.
“Lan Qi, don’t lose heart. You’re only in first year. Sometimes card-making really does depend on luck. I’ve produced plain white cards before myself. But at least you’re honest—if I had made such a thing, I’d probably hide it.”
Kalian’s innocent smile carried encouragement—
—but the undertone was clear.
The strong have the right to humiliate the weak.
Just thinking about Lan Qi making such a pitiful card almost broke her composure.
Now, everyone could hear it—Kalian was openly slapping Lan Qi’s face.
It seemed their relationship had never been good, and now that she was basking in triumph, she no longer even bothered to pretend.
“Well then, Lan Qi, fate willing we’ll meet again. I hope to see you at the Platinum-level Cardmaker Examination, where I’ll get to witness just how ‘amazing’ the cardmaker Headmaster Loren speaks so highly of really is.”
Kalian flicked her eyes sideways, waved dismissively, and walked off toward the scholars and reporters, as if Lan Qi was no longer worth her time.
“I’ll do my best.”
Lan Qi answered politely, sending her off with a smile.
“……?”
Loren, who had witnessed Kalian mock Lan Qi to his face, frowned in doubt.
Wait a second… you two probably will meet again at the Platinum exams.
He hadn’t expected Kalian to hate Lan Qi this much. He had even thought they got along decently!
But then—
“!”
Loren’s brow tightened.
Only now did he realize the serious problem—
Good heavens. She really thinks Lan Qi is just a weakling? Is she… bullying him?
The fact that Lan Qi was already a quasi-Platinum cardmaker had not been made public, but Loren never imagined Kalian could so completely misjudge his strength!
“This is a disaster…”
Holding his head, Loren replayed her words in his mind. His expression sank.
He dared not picture the scene if, during the Platinum exams, Kalian encountered Lan Qi as her examiner—her entire mentality might just explode on the spot.
“Headmaster Loren, what’s wrong?”
Lan Qi asked with concern.
“……”
Loren lowered his hand, looking at him, his throat tight.
Yes, Lan Qi had remembered his promise—that Kalian would return safe, sound, and cheerful to the Kingdom of Yaloran, unlike the other three who were to remain in the Hedon Kingdom.
But now… Kalian had just earned herself a suspended social death sentence.
“She brought this on herself…”
Loren muttered weakly.
Truly, anyone from Yaloran Royal Academy who got close to Lan Qi never came away well. Compared to others, hospitalization was practically a blessing!
Still, Loren couldn’t help being curious about Lan Qi’s card. After all, given his quasi-Platinum level, even his “worst result” shouldn’t be this bad.
“Did it not go well?”
He asked.
Surely Lan Qi hadn’t seriously made an ordinary white card? Even Migaya had never done that.
“……”
Lan Qi lowered his eyes to the card in his hand, smiling lightly, utterly unbothered by the outcome.
He had originally considered asking Loren for a token, so that if he played the role of a bandit too convincingly in the Northern Continent, he’d have something to prove his identity in a crisis.
But now, it seemed unnecessary.
“Actually, I’d say it went quite well.”
Lan Qi chuckled, and with a turn of his fingers, let Loren see the card.
[Counterfeit Tablet – Wind]
Type: Equipment Card
Grade: White, Common
Attribute: Wind
Rank: 1
Passive Effect: This card may be treated as the Primordial Tablet – Wind, but grants no bonus effect. Observing this card may provide a faint insight into wind-type magical engineering.
Note:All things in the world will one day be reborn; the wind shall forever blow across this land.
With that, Lan Qi raised his hand in farewell and walked past Loren.
Leaving behind only the stunned headmaster, frozen in place.
In the latter half of this year, Lan Qi would carry this [Counterfeit Tablet – Wind] to the Northern Continent, taking on the role of High Priest to set an inspiring example—spreading positive energy and promoting Ikerite culture, flourishing in both North and South.