Chapter 347
Chapter 347
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 347 – Who Exactly Is Lan Qi?
At the same time, on the horizon of the Snowfield, the first ray of sunlight finally pierced through the silence of the night.
The black-haired, green-eyed figure stood with his back to the sun, as though even that boundless brilliance shone only because of him. The light gilded the tips of his hair, spilling gold and silver, dancing freely in the breeze.
The pure golden radiance spread out behind him, bathing the earth as if to drive away every last trace of night, dyeing the ashen sky a blazing red-orange, and clothing the frozen Snowfield in a magnificent, dazzling coat.
Lan Qi’s gaze, fixed upon Anello, remained as calm as ever — as though he had never once regarded a mere Son of Annihilation as a true opponent.
It was the gaze of a god, looking down upon insignificant mortals — perhaps noticing them, perhaps not seeing them at all.
All Sixth-Tier sealing magics seemed no more than bubbles, fragile and fleeting, before the Seventh-Tier wind magic and the overwhelming power of the [Primordial Tablet – Wind].
On the other side, Anello’s face — once brimming with confidence and pride — was now replaced entirely by terror and panic. His deep, ocean-like eyes were stretched wide; that once calm and commanding aura, as though he held the fate of all in his hands, had collapsed the instant Lan Qi unleashed the brilliance of the [Primordial Tablet – Wind].
The chill running down his spine forced him to twist his body, caring for nothing else, and turn to flee.
Before his body even had time to go completely numb and cold, instinct had already made the choice for him — run.
This fear was not just the primal reaction to facing an undefeatable foe; it was also the crushing weight of knowing too many secrets, threatening to break him entirely.
Even as the Son of Annihilation, fleeing from a high priest of bishop-level rank was not shameful!!
His frantically pounding heart screamed to him that he was fortunate his opponent was the most virtuous High Priest of the Church of the Goddess of Fate — someone who would never stoop to bullying the weak. Otherwise, Loren would have personally led a purge to annihilate the Sons and Daughters of the Bishop of Destruction.
Having someone of Loren’s status personally hunt down Sons and Daughters of Annihilation would only drive the Cardinal Bishops into madness and make them even more ruthless in their retaliatory hunts of low-ranking priests.
This, too, was a kind of balance — a compromise Loren had chosen.
But that didn’t mean that if Anello lingered before Loren now, Loren wouldn’t casually erase him from existence. After all, it was Anello who had brought himself here.
Anello’s hands — the very hands that once controlled sealing magic — were now trembling violently. Without stopping, without hesitating, he turned himself around and ran at full speed. Every step felt unbearably heavy, as though he was stomping down all his fear, desperately trying to escape this terrifying Snowfield.
The snow around him flew up in a spray, leaving behind a distinct trail — like the tail a defeated creature drops when it flees.
Deep footprints marked the snow behind him, and with the roar of the wind, he rode the current, leaving only an afterimage that quickly vanished into the distance. The force of that wind alone was proof of how desperately he wanted to get away from this place.
For a long time, silence.
“…”
Far in the distance, Lan Qi watched the Son of Annihilation flee in panic until he completely vanished from sight, a faint smile finally touching his lips.
Even without his earlier promise, the Son of Annihilation would surely have chosen to escape toward Snowfield Province.
Within closest reach, only Snowfield Province had a communications terminal Anello could use to contact the outside world.
Although the communication terminals of Snowfield Province were currently under blockade by the Imperial Army, Bishop of Annihilation Askson must have given Anello the authority to override the seal. Only then could Askson have entrusted him with the critical task of intercepting the Church of Ba'tian.
Unfortunately for Anello, Lan Qi also possessed the ability to ensure that he would never get near that communications terminal.
“The punishment for a bad student… is an endless destiny, and a message that will never be delivered.”
Lan Qi looked toward the southern Snowfield and murmured softly.
No one knew what he was planning next — but the relaxed way he carried himself after this fight seemed to suggest that everything had already come to an end.
Only after the Son of Annihilation had completely disappeared over the horizon for several dozen seconds…
Sid stood staring wide-eyed at the young man beside her, her hand still clutching the sleeve of his robe.
She knew very well that the spell which had saved them from the explosion back in Bandera City had been this very [Roar of the Storm Dragon], which should have been the pink Sacred-tier card Lan Qi received as a reward on the day of the monthly examination at the Protos Royal Magic Academy.
But back then, she had been gravely injured, nearly unconscious, and had never once felt the divine might or magical blessing of the [Primordial Tablet – Wind].
As an Orange-tier Epic-level [Primordial Tablet], the divine glow and empowerment it bestowed on its corresponding element’s spells should have been impossible to remove!
And there was only one person in the world known to possess the [Primordial Tablet – Wind].
That was none other than Loren, the High Priest of the Church of the Goddess of Fate of the Southern Continent.
Sid’s mind spun into chaos. She no longer knew who this “Saint Son” before her really was.
Lan Qi raised his hand with a smile, signaling to Sid that he was not her enemy.
“…”
Sid stared in shock for a long while. Only when her purple eyes met Lan Qi’s emerald ones did the chaos within her finally settle, little by little.
“Take your time. I’ll listen to your explanation. My trust in you remains unchanged.”
Her expression turned serious again, her voice steady.
Of all the ways to express gratitude, keeping faith is the best.
“…”
Lan Qi blinked in slight surprise, then broke into a genuine, heartfelt smile — as though thanking her for believing in him so deeply.
However, before Lan Qi could say more to Sid…
“W-why did my [Roar of the Storm Dragon] suddenly have the [Primordial Tablet – Wind] special effect this time?!”
Cat Boss popped out of the shadows, scrambling up Lan Qi’s clothes in disbelief as it bombarded him with questions.
It stared at Lan Qi, completely flustered.
Lan Qi merely smiled without saying a word and drew a tablet-like shape in the air with his finger.
“…Meow?”
At that moment, Cat Boss finally remembered — back in Bandera City, Lan Qi had told it to unequip the [Counterfeit Tablet – Wind].
Ever since, it had been wearing it again — and Lan Qi had even stressed that it must never forget to wear it whenever using [Roar of the Storm Dragon].
But wasn’t that just a cosmetic skin?!
So it could actually replicate Loren’s [Primordial Tablet – Wind] effects perfectly?!
And according to common sense among the people of the Northern Continent — whoever wielded the [Primordial Tablet – Wind] was Loren!
“That’s right, Cat Boss. You’ve got it figured out.”
Lan Qi nodded, believing Cat Boss had pieced everything together by now.
“…Uu-meow…”
Cat Boss’s eyes instantly welled with tears.
The thought that it had just helped Lan Qi impersonate High Priest Loren was enough to make it want to dig a hole and bury itself. After today, there would probably be scandalous rumors circulating across the entire continent about “Loren coming to the North Continent and joining the Resurrection Church.”
Receiving a Seventh-Tier pink Sacred spell card from Lan Qi after coming to the North Continent had been its happiest moment — but apparently the price for accepting [Roar of the Storm Dragon] had been set from the very start.
Once they returned to Ikerite in Hedon’s capital, it would never again dare look that kind, gentle High Priest in the eye!
Goddess, forgive me! Meow!!!
“So, you can even forge a [Primordial Tablet]?”
Sid finally let go of Lan Qi’s sleeve, crossed her arms, and after listening to Lan Qi’s exchange with the little black cat, she basically pieced the whole situation together.
The corners of her lips curled into a faint, amused smile.
Her Saint Son was truly an extraordinary man. She had known his magical engineering skills were excellent, and that his artistic craft bordered on perfection — but to think he could even pirate a [Counterfeit Tablet] into existence.
It seemed the list of things she admired about him was growing too long to count — and yet every one of them aligned perfectly with her own heart.
(End of Chapter)