Chapter 36
Chapter 36
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 36: Lan Qi’s Artistic Insight
The expansive garden of the Magic Engineering Institute was lush and vibrant, with morning dew glistening like tiny crystals on the leaves.
As the institute's staff arrived, the garden's automated irrigation system also began its daily routine.
Meanwhile, Lan Qi and Vivianne still lingered near the entrance of the old Liberal Arts Building.
All because of the sudden question Vivianne had posed.
Back in the southern border region of Vantina, Lan Qi had never encountered anyone who discussed topics like this with him.
Although Butler Hans and Maid Francine had always praised his paintings, they had never engaged him in any in-depth discussions about professional art.
Lan Qi thought for a moment, then smiled as he answered:
"If I had to point out a difference… The goddess statue is sculpted so vividly, her gaze soft and full of compassion, immersed in the shimmering, undulating starlight. At times, the waves of light feel vast and boundless, and at others, they return to calm serenity. She seems to be sinking deeper into the tranquil embrace of the stars, yet at the same time, as if rising to the surface, soaring upward."
"Indeed."
Vivianne nodded in agreement with Lan Qi's words.
She acknowledged his perspective, but having heard similar interpretations from countless art connoisseurs, she found nothing particularly novel about it.
However, she soon heard Lan Qi continue speaking.
"But if we’re talking about what makes this piece truly captivating, I think the key lies in the Southern Cross constellation behind the goddess."
"Why?"
Vivianne furrowed her brows slightly and asked.
Most critiques of this sculpture focused on the goddess herself. While the background stars were finely sculpted, they were generally seen as a supporting element, meant to enhance the goddess rather than be the focal point.
"Jera’s depiction of the constellation actually differs subtly from the official academy emblem. Of course, it's not a mistake—just a difference in observational angles…"
Lan Qi gazed up at the sculpted crest on the spire, his clear emerald-green eyes seemingly tracing the precise positions of each star. Lost in thought, he murmured:
"I'm just speculating here… but could it be that Master Jera Zelt carved this piece on a night when he was deeply moved by the stars? Perhaps that night’s sky held some divine revelation, guiding him to infuse this sculpture with an innate soulfulness. Under such inspiration, as he gazed at the heavens, pouring his heart into his work, who’s to say whether he was sculpting lapis lazuli—or sculpting the very starlight itself? And it is precisely because of this celestial backdrop that the entire piece becomes seamless, elevating the goddess’s figure to its peak brilliance without stealing even a sliver of her radiance."
"!"
Lan Qi’s impassioned interpretation visibly startled Vivianne.
His meticulous eye and unique perspective on sculpture were profound and striking.
According to the records at Icrithe Academy, Magic Engineer Jera Zelt had indeed completed this work at night.
Though there was no way to verify the exact state of mind the late master had while creating it, Lan Qi’s theory coincided almost perfectly with the known facts.
Vivianne couldn't help but lift her gaze toward the sculpture once more, finding Lan Qi's explanation increasingly convincing.
"You…"
She turned her attention to Lan Qi’s profile.
For a moment, she suspected that this wasn’t his first time seeing the sculpture.
"My apologies if my speculation was not thorough enough, or if I have in any way disrespected Master Jera."
Lan Qi, noticing her gaze, turned his head slightly and smiled.
"I heard your family has a history in commerce. Is that why you have such a keen eye for art?"
Vivianne collected herself, nodded lightly, then asked.
Although Lan Qi had a good eye for aesthetics, she wasn’t sure what specific field he specialized in, nor how skilled he was as an artist himself.
"Just a little understanding, purely out of interest."
Lan Qi replied modestly.
Vivianne was already familiar with Lan Qi’s tendency to downplay himself, but it was true that if he were a truly exceptional artist, he wouldn’t still be completely unknown in the field.
"To be honest, the royal treasury holds several works by Jera Zelt. Each of them is considered a national treasure."
Vivianne’s tone carried no trace of arrogance. She merely shared this information because she had finally met a peer who could engage in this kind of conversation.
"If my brother, Ainor, were to meet you, he’d probably invite you to the treasury for a private viewing… Actually, never mind. It’s better if you don’t meet him. If you ever run into a third-year student from the Magic Engineering Institute named Ainor, be sure to steer clear."
Vivianne suddenly cut herself off mid-sentence, her expression shifting slightly as she changed the subject.
"Prince Ainor, I take it he isn’t as approachable as you, Princess Vivianne?"
Lan Qi asked curiously.
He hated it when people spoke in half-sentences and left him guessing.
However, out of politeness, he phrased his question carefully.
"Approachable? Hmm… My brother is indeed very approachable. The problem is, he’s too approachable."
Vivianne pondered for a moment before nodding, then elaborated further.
Her older brother, the second prince of Hedon Kingdom, was a rather eccentric individual.
Despite being royalty, he had little regard for power and status—his only love was elegance and art.
Moreover, he had a strong desire to show off in front of others.
If Ainor ever discovered Lan Qi’s keen artistic sense, he would undoubtedly invite Lan Qi to the royal palace, enthusiastically showcasing his collection and indulging in a grand display of his own artistic insights.
"I see. Then Prince Ainor must be a good person as well. I’ll be sure to avoid troubling him."
Lan Qi immediately understood.
Basically, the prince was just a bit too enthusiastic. Once he found someone who shared his interests, he wouldn’t be able to hold back.
"Mm, you don’t need to worry too much."
Vivianne reassured him.
Even if her foolish brother and Lan Qi were to meet and hit it off, Ainor wouldn't pester him endlessly.
After all, given Lan Qi’s age, there was no way he was a true master of the arts.
At most, Ainor would flaunt his collection a bit before losing interest.
As they chatted, the old Liberal Arts Building had officially opened for the day.
The two of them entered to complete Lan Qi’s enrollment procedures.
With Vivianne accompanying him, everything was smooth and effortless.
For a moment, Lan Qi felt as if he had suddenly become a high-ranking official.
In less than half an hour, he happily left the Magic Engineering Institute and headed toward the dormitory.
The student services center would later transport his stored luggage directly to his assigned dormitory.
Lan Qi was quite satisfied with the academy’s efficiency.
"Do you have any team in mind? Without joining a team, it’ll be difficult for you to challenge the Shadow Realm."
Vivianne strolled beside him, arms crossed, lightly tapping her fingers against her elbow.
She casually brought up the topic as they walked.
She, too, was heading toward the dormitory building.
After all, they would soon be fellow students at the Sage Institute.
The South Continent’s Shadow Realm Management Association granted registered challengers the qualification to explore real Shadow Realms. Naturally, challengers could form teams as well.
So, within the academy, there were quite a few renowned and powerful teams.
The school had a strict rule prohibiting first-year students from challenging the Shadow Realm alone.
As a result, even if a student managed to obtain their Registered Challenger license in their first year, they would typically join a team and challenge the Shadow Realm alongside senior students.
"By the way, what if I team up with another first-year student? Wouldn't that work?"
Lan Qi asked curiously.
He was eager to challenge a real Shadow Realm as soon as possible and didn't want to waste any time.
Since entering a Shadow Realm triggered a cooldown period before one could re-enter, the sooner he challenged it, the sooner his cooldown would start ticking down.
Joining a team, however, involved all sorts of coordination, arrangements, and preparation time. As a newcomer, it would be difficult to get straight into action quickly.
"That would be nothing short of suicide."
Vivianne shot him a cold stare as she spoke.
She didn't want Lan Qi to ruin himself out of sheer arrogance and ignorance—he was one of Hedon Kingdom's most promising talents.
"Uh."
Lan Qi felt a chill from Vivianne's reaction but understood that she was genuinely concerned for his safety.
His knowledge of real Shadow Realms came only from combat records and analytical literature, while Vivianne, as a princess, had met plenty of formidable challengers and surely understood the real situation better than he did.
"So, how does the difficulty of a third-tier Shadow Realm compare to the third round of the entrance exam?"
"A third-tier Shadow Realm is far more difficult than the second-tier Endless Phantom Canyon, no matter how harsh the exam’s modifiers were. They're simply not in the same league."
Before Lan Qi could finish his question, Vivianne answered him in an unwavering tone.
She could tell that Lan Qi hadn't fully grasped the dangers of a real Shadow Realm.
A simulated second-stage Shadow Realm fragment could never compare to the difficulty of a full-fledged third-tier Shadow Realm!
If Lan Qi let his exam performance and his license exemption make him arrogant, it was only a matter of time before he got himself into serious trouble in the Shadow Realm.
Vivianne took a deep breath. Even if it made her the villain, she was prepared to scold Lan Qi harshly and knock some sense into him.
But before she could organize her words, Lan Qi asked another question:
"Just hypothetically—if we modified the Endless Phantom Canyon exam by adding ‘Hilly Terrain,’ ‘Examiner Rank Up from Four to Five,’ and ‘Examiner Starting Distance Halved,’ would that make it comparable to a third-tier Shadow Realm?"
Vivianne froze for a moment.
What kind of demonic modifiers were those? Who would even come up with such a thing?
That would completely change the nature of the exam.
"…Are you kidding me? If those three modifiers were applied, I doubt any new student could pass. That would practically be a third-tier Shadow Realm in berserk mode."
Vivianne murmured in hesitation.
Generally, if a Shadow Realm encountered a critical failure—where challengers couldn't advance to the final stage or were hunted down first by the final boss—it was considered to have entered Berserk Mode.
In a berserk third-tier Shadow Realm, even third-tier challengers could end up being hunted by a fifth-tier final boss.
After saying this, Vivianne looked at Lan Qi with suspicion.
There was no way he and Huperion had actually faced those modifiers, right?
Because if they had… and they both passed… then just how terrifying was Lan Qi?
"Alright, I think I have a rough idea of how difficult a third-tier Shadow Realm is now."
Lan Qi stroked his chin and nodded.
That meant if he partnered with his old teammate Huperion and they matched into a real Shadow Realm, with their respective ranks at two and three, they would most likely be placed into a second-tier or third-tier Shadow Realm.
Which was actually easier than joining a team of senior students, who would be third- or fourth-tier, and taking on an even more challenging mission.
"You… You didn't actually encounter those three modifiers with Huperion, did you?"
Vivianne turned her head slightly, staring at Lan Qi with suspicion.
Even though she found it hard to believe, for a moment, she felt an inexplicable steadiness about Lan Qi.
Despite her experience in reading people as a princess, she suddenly realized she couldn’t quite gauge the depth of Lan Qi’s abilities.
"Of course not, how could it be those three?"
Lan Qi chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.
The modifiers he encountered were "Plains Terrain," "Enraged Frat," and "One-Third Starting Distance."
Slightly different from what he had just told Vivianne.