Is Lanqi Actually a Master?

The demons held their breath, and Princess Hyperion fixed her gaze on the painting. As the seal unraveled, the purple radiance on the dark-gray board grew clearer, revealing an exquisite work of art. Confirming the princess had finished her viewing, Caliera flicked a finger, guiding the board to drift slowly through the air so all the demons could see it clearly. "Starting off right away with a rare-quality piece! Which great demon submitted this? And which master painter created it?" "Judging by the style, it doesn't look like Thunder Lord's work, nor does it seem to be from Mist Lord or True Night Lord." A solemn, sacred atmosphere filled the hall. As the painting was unveiled, many demons were visibly stunned by the artwork. Murmurs and analytical debates spread through the crowd. Even though Fall Lord would only reveal the artist behind each piece after the princess made her choice, the demons were already guessing. One after another, the paintings were revealed, brilliant light bursting from each freshly unsealed piece. To every demon present, viewing these artworks was a rare treat. They were witnessing what might be the greatest artistic banquet the Demon Realm had seen in centuries, an experience that was not merely a visual delight, but a profound stirring of the soul. When a painting was unsealed, the flow of mana—particularly upon completion, unsealing, or resonance with magic—produced vivid colors reflecting its grade. This grade was directly tied to the artwork's value, magical effects, and rarity. The lowest was a white glow, signifying Common quality—an entry-level work of art. If accompanied by a blue radiance, it was a refined, flawless piece that required stable, masterful skill to produce. Higher still was purple, denoting top-tier art. Beyond that, pink artworks entered the Sacred domain, representing virtually the highest grade of art ever conceived or witnessed by living beings. Though hopes were slim, every demon present longed to see a pink radiance appear. At the same time, they were anxious, dreading the possibility that such a magnificent piece might have been created by a Blood Clan Progenitor. "The later a painting emerges from the golden chest, the earlier it was submitted. The Tenth Progenitor spent part of this past week delayed on his journey to the Demon Realm. His painting hasn't appeared yet, so he couldn't possibly have finished both quickly and with exceptional quality, right?" Amid the chatter, right after a third purple piece was unveiled, a painting enveloped in a plain white glow suddenly emerged, only to be moved aside expressionlessly by Fall Lord. "That painting style... was that Thunder Lord?" "Does he not want to win?" Discussions rippled through the seats of the Demon Realm dignitaries, their eyes drifting toward Thunder Lord Gareth from time to time. Submitting a perfunctory Common-quality painting made it abundantly clear that Thunder Lord had no real desire to win. "Gareth, you didn't hire a ghost painter to paint for you?" Lanqi asked Thunder Lord beside him, having deduced from the reaction of the surrounding demons that the piece belonged to Gareth. As far as Lanqi knew, Fall Lord's rules practically gave tacit approval to using ghost painters. "I felt that doing so might make you laugh at me. There was really no need," Thunder Lord replied with a shake of his head. His nonchalant tone seemed to say that his close friend mattered far more than any princess. The Nocta family's desire to marry into royalty was primarily aimed at securing power and status in the Demon Realm. But with McCarthy willing to aid him, winning the princess was no longer strictly necessary. "That being said, even if I had hired a ghost painter, I likely couldn't match Mist Lord Orion or True Night Lord Esmod. One hired the oldest legendary craftsman in the contemporary Demon Realm, and the other possesses the highest personal artistic attainments among all the great demons." Thunder Lord looked toward two figures seated on the far left of the fan-shaped seating area, close to Fall Lord Caliera. Mist Lord Orion, who possessed jet-black hair and cold golden eyes, sat right beside True Night Lord Esmod, who was shrouded in a black cloak and deep shadow, revealing only a pair of eerie blue eyes. Neither of these great demons' paintings had appeared yet. In the eyes of the vast majority of demons, the candidate with the highest chance of victory was General Mist Lord Orion of the Seventh Army Group, followed closely by Minister of Foreign Affairs True Night Lord Esmod. "They're clearly rivals, so why do they seem to get along so well?" Lanqi inquired of Thunder Lord Gareth. In the demon sociology Lanqi had studied, great demons either had close relations, were complete strangers, or were perpetually plotting to kill one another. Aside from him and Talia, who somehow managed all three simultaneously, the dynamics between traditional great demons were straightforward. The two across from them were quite close to Fall Lord, so with his limited time, Lanqi had not interacted with them much. He had only heard Lysandra mention that General Mist Lord was fierce and irritable, whereas True Night Lord, a civil official, was remarkably gentle. Yet to Lanqi's eyes, those two great demons showed no suspicion toward each other and sat very close together. "They grew up together and have always been close, but at times their dynamic feels strange and awkward," Thunder Lord replied, pleased to see Lanqi showing a rare moment of interest. Soon, a chorus of gasps from the demon dignitaries in the Regency Hall interrupted their private conversation. Thunder Lord looked up and saw a newly unsealed painting. [Portrait: Naicalis Palace Throne Room] [Type: Work of Art] [Quality: Sacred] [Tier: 1] [Living beings who appreciate this painting recover a tiny amount of stamina and spirit, with a small chance to gain a bit of artistic insight into painting.] The canvas depicted ministers gathered in the Regency Hall paying homage, while the princess sat alone upon her throne, holding supreme power. The demons displayed a variety of expressions and postures—reverence, vigilance, deep contemplation. Beams of light filtered artfully down from the high windows, focusing on the princess like a miracle; at that moment, she was heaven's chosen. Its classical, grand realistic style did not look like the work of any young painter in the modern Demon Realm. The demons all turned their gazes toward Demon General Mist Lord. "Rumor has it that the legendary artisan Mist Lord hired is an ancient master from millennia ago." "This painting... is a depiction of the zenith of power in the Demon Realm, as well as a profound analysis of the ministers' inner psyches." "By capturing the emotions of the princess and the assembly of ministers, it highlights the intersection between individuals, the Demon Realm, and pivotal moments in history... Ultimately, it became a painting combining movement and stillness, substance and depth." Many demons could not help but analyze the piece in detail. "Do you usually appreciate works of art?" Thunder Lord asked Lanqi beside him after listening to the surrounding murmurs. Though he had never discussed art with his dear friend, he felt McCarthy naturally carried an indescribable poetic air. "A little bit," Lanqi replied. "What do you think of this painting?" Thunder Lord wanted to hear Lanqi's thoughts. "It's quite good," Lanqi answered. "..." Hearing such a perfunctory response, Thunder Lord opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. When Thunder Lord looked at the painting himself, he could not come up with any evaluation other than "quite good" either. His intuition told him his friend was far from simple, yet that casual attitude made it seem as if McCarthy genuinely had no interest in art appreciation. Before the wave of gasps among the demons could rise any further, another pink glow spread through the Regency Hall. [Portrait: Caged Bird] [Type: Work of Art] [Quality: Sacred (Damaged)] [Tier: 1] [Living beings who appreciate this painting have a small chance of developing a touch of sympathy for the princess and gaining insight into her state of mind.] "Oh!" Numerous demons widened their eyes, staring at yet another Sacred-grade painting. No figure of a young woman appeared on the canvas; there was only a solitary scene. Moonlight filtered through tree branches, spilling across a windowsill. "Did True Night Lord paint this by hand?" "It's definitely True Night Lord's style. I've seen quite a few of True Night Lord's works. Although the degree of completion isn't entirely perfect, it is genuinely of the Sacred grade." "As expected of the great demon with the highest artistic attainment among the civil officials. To independently create a Sacred-grade painting in such a short time!" Praise erupted in rapid succession. Perhaps Mist Lord's painting, *Naicalis Palace Throne Room*, possessed higher technical quality, but True Night Lord triumphed in emotional intent, depicting the very view the princess saw while gazing out her window. "This painting... The clever first-person perspective evokes a unique emotional resonance. The princess isn't directly depicted, yet her presence permeates every detail touched by the brush." In the painting, the moonlight seemed to be more than just part of a natural landscape; it served as an emotional metaphor. Its cold, distant quality perfectly mirrored the figure longed for by the princess—so close, yet utterly out of reach. "By using the contrast of light and shadow alongside guided perspective, True Night Lord tightly connected the viewer's emotions to the princess's inner world. Appreciating this painting is essentially experiencing a state of longing." "Just who is the princess longing for? And why does True Night Lord understand her feelings so well?" Discussions among the demon elites surged back and forth. True Night Lord had evidently perceived the princess's state of mind with delicate precision. Over on the right side of the hall, Thunder Lord saw Lanqi looking particularly intrigued by this painting, so he asked, "Do you favor this one?" Though it might just be his wishful bias, he still had a sneaking suspicion that his dear friend understood something. "..." Lanqi rested his chin in his hand, his brow furrowing slightly. Thunder Lord could not read Lanqi's thoughts at that moment, yet his friend looked remarkably like him—as though he wished to express a sophisticated critique after viewing the art, but simply could not find the right words. "By the way, Gareth, does True Night Lord actually want to win?" Lanqi lowered his hand, leaned back in his chair, and tilted his head to ask. "Mist Lord Orion probably genuinely wants to win, while True Night Lord Esmod is mainly doing it to maintain the bigger picture. But True Night Lord also seemed unwilling to let Mist Lord win, refusing Mist Lord's request for assistance. In a fit of temper, Mist Lord spared no expense to track down an ancient legendary artisan of the Demon Realm to serve as his ghost painter." Thunder Lord shook his head, unable to comprehend the motives between those two great demons, and even less sure why his friend was asking. True Night Lord's appearance in particular had always remained an enigma; in all these years, Thunder Lord had never once seen this civil official's true face. Lanqi fell into contemplation once more. Thunder Lord patiently waited for his friend's profound insight. "Do you think it's possible that True Night Lord is actually a woman?" Lanqi whispered to Thunder Lord, glancing at Esmod's tightly wrapped, cloaked figure. His sharp matchmaking instincts told him that if True Night Lord's gender were flipped, everything would make sense. "..." Thunder Lord stared at Lanqi, his brain freezing for a moment. *My friend, just what on earth are you analyzing?* Now he truly could not tell whether McCarthy understood art or not. While the two chatted idly, an indescribable harmony and vibrant interest filled the Regency Hall. The demons' analytical discussions echoed beneath the high vaulted ceiling, every evaluation steeped in pride. A true master was not only skilled, but also swift. The paintings revealed earlier were the ones placed into the golden chest last. Now, as the golden chest neared empty, the remaining pieces were those completed and submitted very early on. The demons admired *Naicalis Palace Throne Room* and *Caged Bird*; even though Fall Lord had already moved them aside, they could scarcely tear their eyes away from the canvases. "Whichever one the princess chooses, it will be well justified." "She personally requested the great demon who paints the best. Receiving works of this caliber truly lives up to her expectations." With so much time having passed without the Tenth Progenitor's painting appearing, the demons began to feel relieved. Even a master like True Night Lord Esmod had taken this long, and the Tenth Progenitor, Marquis Ulysses, had lost part of his time to his journey. Having worked under a far tighter deadline, the possibility of him producing a high-grade painting was practically nonexistent. Looking toward the Tenth Progenitor, Ulysses still wore a detached, aloof expression, smiling breezily as if completely unbothered by victory or defeat. Someone devoid of competitive drive would find it all the harder to surpass a piece created with True Night Lord's utmost effort. Yet... Just as the excitement and fervor in the Regency Hall reached its absolute peak... A magnificent, resplendent golden radiance descended upon the palace like a river of stars.