The next day.
The sunlight timidly pierced through the heavy blanket of clouds. Each golden beam, breaking through the gloom, seemed like an unfettered ribbon of gold, faintly illuminating the silhouettes of mingled pedestrians and monsters bustling along the streets of Herrom this Sunday morning.
Along both sides of the streets, every window of the buildings served as a miniature theater of daily life, where small demonic beast pets or alchemical creatures rested their tentacles and tails lightly on the windowsills, peering curiously at the outside world.
And on this early morning, Lanqi had already left his inn near the Protos Royal Magic Academy and was on his way to the Temple of the Knights of Extinction.
Starting tomorrow, he would spend five weekdays within the Protos Royal Magic Academy.
Today, on the final day of the weekend, he had to visit the Knights of Extinction in the morning to meet the Archpriest who would bestow upon him the Extinction Branch's Proof of Resurrection and receive his upcoming work assignment.
As Lanqi strolled along leisurely, Boss Cat's voice sounded in his ear once more.
The man and the cat depended on each other in this foreign land, and Boss Cat chattered away to him all day long.
"Meow, meow, Lanqi, now you've become the top new cleric in the Extinction Branch... Don't tell me you're actually going to meet the Bishop of Extinction, Askesan..."
If things truly went that far, it wouldn't dare follow this brat to see a Cardinal!
Once you stepped into the field of vision of an incarnation of natural calamity like that, you had zero power to resist. A single slip, and not even your bones would remain.
"Relax, I've been diligently working on my research project all along, and I've never forgotten my original purpose," Lanqi replied calmly.
"Meow! How about you focus more on developing your career in the Empire instead! I feel like the Domination Branch was safer than the Extinction Branch!"
Boss Cat felt Lanqi was talking utter nonsense.
Who the hell was he searching for that required him to go undercover in the Resurrection Church like this?!
In its eyes, Lanqi had simply gotten tipsy on bad liquor and gotten carried away.
Boss Cat had long heard from Tata that this kid had made a fool of himself in the frontier city-state of South Vantina because of drunkenness.
It was terrified Lanqi would sink deeper and deeper until there was no turning back. In comparison, whatever career he wanted to pursue in the Empire, it would fully support and encourage him to go all out—just so long as he severed ties with the Resurrection Church.
"Don't worry. I've already made a clean cut with the Domination Branch. The Harbinger is the Harbinger, and Luoqi is Luoqi. This imperial journey will definitely satisfy you."
Lanqi turned his head, looked down at his own shadow, lifted an eyelid, and flashed Boss Cat a smile.
"...Meow."
*Meow, meow, meow, I'll believe him one more time.*
The city's air was a blend of the distinct scent of magic potions and the lingering freshness of rain.
Lanqi walked along the street paved with neat rectangular flagstones.
With every street corner he turned, the pedestrians thinned out further.
Even the windowsills of the tall buildings grew noticeably emptier.
Then, a detail caught Lanqi's eye.
Not far ahead, a woman was walking toward the temple. Her long hair swayed gently in the breeze, draping over her silver skirt-armor. The lightweight skirt-armor bore an archaic design, with every seam and joint showcasing a craftsman's masterful skill. Sunlight gleamed on her armor, casting a faint white sheen like flowing water.
Lanqi remembered this woman in silver skirt-armor.
Their destination was clearly the Knights of Extinction.
And this woman named Side was also one of the reasons the final assessment results had been delayed.
However, Lanqi had had no interaction with her. They would be colleagues later and would get to know each other sooner or later, so there was no need to go out of his way to greet her.
Just as Lanqi was thinking this, stepping onto the next street without sensing the slightest movement beside him, a chilly hand suddenly clamped onto his upper arm!
The grip was so immensely powerful it felt capable of crushing his bones with ease, yet the owner wielded the force with pinpoint precision, ensuring he took no harm.
"You—"
Lanqi hadn't even had time to react. He truly had sensed no malice—or perhaps the other party's strength surpassed his by far too wide a margin for his nerves to even register their speed.
The instant he caught sight of her figure, the howling wind screeched against his ears. All gravity seemed to vanish as the soles of his shoes lost all contact with the ground, and the shearing atmospheric pressure told him he had been hauled into the skies high above the Imperial Capital.
The emerald gleam in Lanqi's eyes carved a sharp trajectory through the mist over the Imperial Capital, Herrom. Clouds and vapors whistled past on both sides, bringing a biting, bone-chilling cold.
Buildings, streets, carriages, and crowds blurred into indistinct shadows, every detail torn apart by sheer speed until nothing remained but a chaotic whirl of light and color.
The next second, everything accelerated further. The gale lashed at his eyes so fiercely he could barely keep them open. Gazing down from this hyper-speed roller coaster, the cityscape resembled shattered shards of stained glass. Amidst the deafening roar of the wind, Lanqi's head buzzed relentlessly, the frigid air making breathing an ordeal as if every breath came directly from an ice cellar.
His vision threatened to blur, and his consciousness began to drift away.
Yet that hand still gripped him firmly, anchoring his balance with a force akin to force magic, serving as his sole pivot in this high-altitude realm.
Just as his mind grew hazy and was about to plunge into bottomless darkness, the speed suddenly dropped.
She brought Lanqi down and set him steadily onto flat ground. The abrupt jarring impact helped him regain a bit of clarity.
"...!"
Holding his forehead, he steadied his swaying body, only to realize that in a mere ten-odd seconds, he had arrived in an entirely different place.
It was the interior of an ancient, magnificent building.
"If there's a next time, could you please not bring me over like that?"
Lanqi lowered his hand and shook his head, the feeling of exhaustion still lingering across his limbs.
His heart was strong enough, so this roller coaster ride—amplified ten times over—hadn't knocked him unconscious.
Still, he had been hauled off without warning. Even though she seemed to have been as gentle as possible, the gap between their strength and physical resilience was simply staggering. Had Lanqi's tier been any lower, he would probably be out cold by now.
The figure in skirt-armor who had brought him here paid him no mind, simply walking toward her high seat.
In this space, tall lintels, intricate carvings, and an assortment of mystical artifacts and ancient paintings hung upon the walls, giving it the appearance of a private gallery steeped in a profound, solemn atmosphere. Everything around him told Lanqi that priceless treasures from various eras and distant regions had been gathered here.
The floor was paved with time-weathered, dark brown wood. Each plank was slightly worn, bearing unique grains and colors, each seemingly holding its own story—as if this very patina was what gave them their priceless worth.
Other than that, the hall, spanning hundreds of square meters, felt exceptionally vast. There was only the high seat, resembling the sole throne of this space, behind which shelves were lined with assorted bottles and jars—from amber goblets to spirits clear as water, all quietly awaiting the moment they would be chosen.
At this moment, Lanqi's recovering vision finally allowed him to clearly see the figure who had forcibly brought him here.
Side.
Her attire had already changed.
She remained tall and slender, her pale-colored long hair trailing down behind her waist. Her eyes sparkled like stars in a night sky, yet also resembled violets blooming in spring. The sheer aura of an ambitious conqueror radiating from her made her seem like a queen reigning over this realm—one who was not content merely to control what lay before her, but sought to subjugate everything within her sight.
"Most of the time, I dislike cooperating with others. Some find me overbearing, fond of interfering and provoking people, incapable of teamwork. But I only know one thing: I never easily let pass anything that works to my advantage."
She introduced herself succinctly, her domineering yet calm gaze like a sword resting in the crystal-clear mirror of a lake, poised to pierce an opponent's heart.
"Your Excellency, what is your purpose in inviting me here?"
Lanqi gave her a slight imperial bow. Until he determined Side's true identity and intentions, he had no intention of saying too much.
There was nothing to fear either.
His life was practically in her hands. If she harbored ill intent, his chances of resisting through force were clearly zero.
Side said nothing, her back turned to Lanqi as she walked slowly up to her throne.
Having cast off her disguise, she was a cold beauty who seemed utterly indifferent to Lanqi's feelings, caring only about what she desired.
What she had used before was merely disguise magic; even the identity of 'Side' was completely fabricated.
"You may not have heard the name Sigrid."
Side rested her chin on one hand as she looked down at Lanqi, though she clearly appreciated his poise and composure.
"But there is another name you have certainly heard."
With a flick of her right thumb, a Holy Sigil was tossed into the air like a coin.
It traced a brief trail of silver radiance in the air before landing back in her palm.
Even though it was only a fleeting glimpse, Lanqi saw it clearly.
At the center of the Holy Sigil was a silver moon crown whose light traced a crescent, as if all foes would be reduced to shards; the stars scattered along the crown's edges were broken weapon fragments, signifying the defeat and tragic fate of those who dared resist.
He was all too familiar with this style of Holy Sigil.
He had seen far too many of them on the Domination clerics in the Southwestern Province.
The only difference was—
The one Side held shone with an incomparably domineering, blinding orange brilliance!
Chapter 271