Inside the pitch-black threshold space dotted with only faint starlight, the three of them received their respective rewards.
Looking at one another's three magic cards and items, they noted that the unbound, ownerless goods remained in a sealed state, making it simple to discern their effects through appraisal magic.
The Orange Epic card in Lanqi's hand, emanating a frosty mist while surrounded by an iridescent glazed halo, was clearly extraordinary.
At the very center of the card, a mysterious necklace was faintly visible. Its chain was woven from vivid, incorporeal silver light, and the pendant was a teardrop-shaped glazed stone that shimmered with shifting colors under the light. Beneath the pendant, a line of tiny ancient script was inscribed; though none could decipher its meaning, all knew the glazed teardrop radiated a warm glow, like a luminous pearl illuminating the dark and dispelling death.
[Tear of Imperishable Glaze]
[Type: Equipment Card]
[Grade: Orange Epic]
[Tier: 4]
[Effect: While wearing this necklace, the more buff and debuff effects affecting the wearer, the greater the damage reduction and all-attribute enhancement granted. When suffering fatal damage, negates it and restores the wearer to full condition, with a 30-day cooldown. Cannot stack with other card effects providing damage reduction or fatal damage immunity.]
[Note: Late on the fifth night, everyone had perished, and the Child of the Sun could no longer await the coming of another dawn. The wolf gave him his heart; the witch gave him her blood. Looking upon the Child of the Sun returned from hell, this time, it was Viscount Augustine's turn to feel fear.]
"With this piece of equipment, Lanqi, you've turned into a mage-tank. Mages of the same tier won't even scratch you,"
Hyperion murmured in astonishment.
She didn't dare imagine what an extraordinarily sturdy tank Lanqi would make if he stood in the frontline.
One could always trust Lanqi's consistency in drawing aggro.
And Lanqi just happened to lack a magic card that granted immunity to fatal damage.
Cards with fatal damage immunity were exceedingly rare, generally starting at Pink Sacred grade at the very least, and none could stack.
Hyperion's own was a past masterpiece left behind by her father, Duke Mikhail.
Thinking this, she looked down at the magic card in her hand.
[Witch's Warm Companionship]
[Type: Equipment Card]
[Grade: Pink Sacred]
[Tier: 5]
[Effect: While wearing this earring, can trigger a single-use magical shield capable of withstanding attacks up to Tier 8, with a 24-hour cooldown.]
[Note: The witch has vanished, turned into eternal, warm companionship. One more epitaph weighs upon the Child of the Sun, yet he will continue to journey forward alone until the day humanity sees the light once more.]
Hyperion held up the card against the starlight, and the form of the equipment grew clearer. Compared to Lanqi's necklace, hers was an exquisite earring wrought from starlight-like silver metal. The earring's dangling pendant was also a teardrop-shaped gemstone; its subtle curves and luster evoked a sense of warmth, as though carrying the silent daily prayers of an ancient witch.
In short, it was a versatile, exceptional card that anyone could use.
Although Pink Sacred cards were difficult to unbind once bound, spending five cost in card capacity for such a life-saving piece of equipment was well worth it.
Unlike Lanqi and Hyperion, whose rewards were magic cards, only Frey had received a material.
It was a stone meticulously sculpted by time and mana, its surface covered in a peculiar silver-gray texture, yet in truth it was a heart. Under certain light, one could even glimpse flowing radiance within—a miraculous magic shimmering.
Merely touching it revealed a potent vitality pulsing inside, brimming with the pride and will of a supreme powerhouse.
[Wolf King's Proud Heart]
[Type: Magic Item]
[Grade: Orange Epic]
[Tier: 1]
[Effect: The heart of the Wolf Clan's last prince. Can be used as a top-grade regeneration-type or sealing-type material.]
[Note: A sliver of life yet remained for the werewolf; the Child of the Sun sealed him away, hiding him beneath the cliff. Having lost his heart, he retained almost none of the Wolf Clan's power, yet beneath the moonlight, he might awaken once more centuries hence.]
Frey could only look at Lanqi helplessly.
Though this material was in no way inferior to any finished Epic magic card, it could not be used directly.
A card maker capable of working with such a material had to be at least Platinum rank.
And the only card maker he knew well and trusted was Lanqi.
After the Shadow World's information finished updating, a series Shadow World quest appeared at the end, just like after their previous challenge—
[Series Shadow World—Blood Moon Cataclysm: Historical coordinates anchored, current completion 2/4.]
[Before concluding the series Shadow World, current challengers have a higher probability of entering the third node of "Blood Moon Cataclysm."]
[Mission Objective: Clear the final node with an SSS evaluation.]
Although they didn't know what the final reward for completing this series quest would be, it certainly wouldn't be lower than Epic.
"Say, do the notes on these three rewards tell the story of the original history corresponding to this Shadow World?"
Frey glanced again at the magic cards and magic item in their hands. The card illustrations and notes truly seemed to connect into a story.
"It really is a tragedy," Hyperion sighed.
If they hadn't ferreted out the traitors on the very first day, it would have been a horrific nightmare lasting five days and nights. Given the traitors' strength and Blood Clan authority, the other church members had virtually no hope of victory to begin with.
Even if they won in the end, it would have been a pyrrhic victory—perhaps far more agonizing for the survivors than for the dead.
While the two were talking, Lanqi had remained silent the entire time.
"..."
Lanqi stared at the Orange Epic card in his hand and pondered.
"Frey, how about I trade this teardrop necklace for your werewolf heart?" he asked, looking up at Frey.
Both [Tear of Imperishable Glaze] and [Wolf King's Proud Heart] were difficult to evaluate in sheer value.
One was a guaranteed asset, while the other depended on a card maker's execution.
At least in Lanqi's eyes, they were equal.
As the Orange Epics on his person accumulated, the free slots he had to flexibly equip other magic cards grew fewer and fewer.
Even the top Tier 8 powerhouses of this era rarely bound too many Orange Epic and Pink Sacred magic cards.
Cards of Epic grade that were permanently impossible to unbind required exceptional caution.
Lanqi felt that spending four permanent points of cost to go the mage-tank route didn't suit him.
If the time ever came when he had to tank damage, the situation would already be on the verge of total collapse.
On the other hand, Frey could use this Epic equipment, and if Lanqi obtained that Epic-grade material, he might be able to craft a sealing-type magic card that suited him far better.
Lanqi had that very intuition.
During the winter break two months from now, he would definitely need to adopt a new persona when he traveled to the Northern Continent.
To ensure he wouldn't be recognized, the two signature Epic magic cards he had used publicly up to now—[Poet of Great Love] and [Radiant Virtue]—could definitely not be used casually.
Only [Wonderful Notes], which he had obtained in Purgatory Corridor Academy and which could summon the Purgatory Choir, had never been used before anyone. When the time came to visit the Northern Continent, he could treat it as his new persona's trump card.
Yet a single control card wasn't enough.
He needed a new core ace, and perhaps even use it to open up his secondary class: [Sealer].
"No problem."
Frey naturally understood Lanqi's intention. He was more than willing to spend four points of card cost to permanently bind this equipment.
If he acquired [Tear of Imperishable Glaze], Frey was confident that even in a one-on-one duel against the Saintess of Destruction on any terrain, he would come out on top.
Without hesitation, Frey handed [Wolf King's Proud Heart] to Lanqi, and Lanqi passed [Tear of Imperishable Glaze] to Frey.
"This heart..."
When Lanqi touched the heart brimming with mighty power, it seemed to resonate with his own heartbeat. Even his soul felt an indescribable pull toward it; the only thing he knew for certain was that his compatibility with it was superb.
He remembered that when Talia had obtained [Hymn of Compassion], she had murmured that it was a soul resonance she had never experienced in her life, and she was certain she was the only one who could forge that material into a masterpiece.
At that time, Lanqi hadn't been able to grasp the feeling Talia spoke of.
Now, however, he seemed to understand.
He could hardly wait to begin preparations to craft a magic card using [Wolf King's Proud Heart] as the core material!
Once they saw off the academic visit delegation from the Aloran Kingdom, he would be able to settle down and start card making.
"Right... by the time we get back, the delegation from the Aloran Kingdom will already be at the academy..."
Hyperion looked toward the door out of the threshold space, her expression tinged with worry. She was visibly uneasy about parting ways with the two of them.
An elite cultist from the Resurrection Church was concealed within the visiting team from the Aloran Kingdom, liable to strike and kill her at any moment should she be caught alone.
"Whenever the three of us aren't at the student council, I'll summon the Poet of Great Love and have her stay with you in your dorm. With her by your side, it won't be much different from being with me."
Lanqi shifted his gaze from [Wolf King's Proud Heart] and looked at Hyperion.
After advancing to Tier 4, Lanqi's spirit had grown substantially once again, and his attributes—such as maximum mana, mana recovery rate, and magic resistance—had all seen marked improvements. Maintaining the Poet of Great Love's summoned state for extended periods was no longer an issue.
During the day when the three of them were together, there was no problem; at night when they separated, the Poet of Great Love would keep Hyperion company.
He would also entrust both [Radiant Virtue] and [Wonderful Notes] to her.
If an incident arose, the coordination between the Poet of Great Love and Hyperion would be virtually identical to Lanqi being there in person.
Normally, summoned entities could rarely use magic cards on behalf of their summoner. However, beyond possessing exceptional intellect, the Poet of Great Love was adept at both card making and card usage, and she could wield all the magic cards soul-bound to Lanqi—though the mana cost would naturally fall on Lanqi.
"Then what about you?" Hyperion asked worriedly.
Without the Poet of Great Love, Lanqi himself would be vulnerable. What was more, continuously sustaining her summon would steadily drain his mana, leaving his reserves depleted.
"I'll be bunking with Frey for the next few days," Lanqi said, patting Frey on the shoulder.
Frey's dorm was on the first floor of the School of Knights anyway, and it was plenty spacious.
"Then we can play cards all night," Frey smiled at Lanqi.
With the two good brothers together, there was no case they couldn't crack.
"In that case... I'll get to spend a few days with Lanfu," Hyperion said, nodding in relief.
She actually enjoyed being around the Poet of Great Love. The Poet of Great Love was the first girl who interacted with her without the slightest reserve or barrier.
Perhaps it was because the Poet of Great Love was a demon.
"Help me keep an eye on her," Lanqi added.
He couldn't control the Poet of Great Love the way one controlled ordinary summons. Not only did she have her own thoughts, but she also made her own decisions.
Once she was far away, Lanqi had no way of knowing what she might do, able only to communicate via telepathy.
Even when issuing commands normally, he had to phrase them as requests.
No other summon in the world required the summoner to politely plead with them before they would even consider doing what was asked.
Therefore, whenever the Poet of Great Love was out of his sight, someone had to watch over her for Lanqi to have peace of mind.
"I will." Hyperion nodded.
On closer thought, getting to hang out with Lanfu every day actually sounded quite fun.
After chatting for a little while longer, the three walked together toward the Void Gate leading back to the mortal realm.
"Let's go meet this academic visit delegation from the Aloran Kingdom."
"We must definitely get along amiably with our international friends and display the fine character of us Ikerite folks. Creating a civilized city is everyone's responsibility."
"..."
Laughing and chatting, the three bade complete farewell to this unforgettable five-day tour of the cliffside castle.
No matter what, their wonderful Ikerite campus life was about to begin anew!
Coming up next in the Campus Arc:
—Frey's Case Files: First-Class Merit of the Kingdom in the Student Council
—Loren Clarifies Overnight: "This Is Definitely Not a Student I Trained"
—Lanqi's Duel of the Tea Ceremony Grandmasters
—Lanqi's Most Sinful Episode 2
—Lanqi's Forbidden Wolf
Chapter 173