Lanqi's Red Legendary

At the very instant the radiant glow from the Shadow World's dissipation reached its peak, it was abruptly swallowed by profound darkness. In the blink of an eye, Lanqi found himself standing inside a transparent pavilion wrapped within an eternal, starry expanse. Only a scattering of stars flickered faintly, glowing as they recounted stories spanning tens of millions of years. Talia stood beside him holding the cat, the celestial light casting enough illumination for them to take in their surroundings. "Lanqi, you're here." Talia had already changed back into her everyday attire. Having cast off the Veil of the Fallen Kingdom, she no longer bore Caliera's pure white visage. "Yeah, we're back," Lanqi replied with a smile. Whenever a long journey came to an end, he was always grateful to see someone welcoming him home. After going through this Shadow World, he had developed an inexplicable appreciation for Talia's kindness. Without her, enduring the Mirror of Tiberius alone would have been excruciating. "Don't go thinking such things in your head." Hearing Lanqi thinking about her so plainly flustered Talia. She could only tighten her grip slightly on the cat, turning half away so Lanqi couldn't look at her. Her voice was barely above a whisper. Boss Cat glanced back and forth between the two of them. A breeze began to swirl across the plaza of the liminal space, sweeping over every inch of the ground. In the night sky, stars began to shift slowly, rearranging themselves into entirely new constellations. Music rose from an unseen source. The melody was melodious and grand, as though composing a magnificent symphony to commemorate the end of the Blood Moon Ruined World era. The long, melancholic wind softened into a sigh that echoed through the quiet air. It was a wondrous realm—the place where reality and the Shadow World intertwined, forming the liminal boundary. Not far away, on the transparent barrier, spreading cracks silently emerged, wisps of serene purple luminescence spilling from the fissures. Shortly, so long as they stepped through this minor void gate, they would be able to return to the mortal realm—the capital of the Creti Empire—and resume their familiar urban life in Brillda. "Judging by when we entered the Shadow World, a full twenty-one days have passed. When we get back to Brillda, it should still be morning," Lanqi remarked to Talia after recalling the timeline. The Shadow World's final settlement had not yet appeared. Every Shadow World took quite a while, and an eighth-tier Shadow World like this one would likely require an even longer wait than before. "You've worked hard. Once we get home, order some extra groceries. I'll cook you a feast of good food. It'll be just about lunchtime anyway," Talia replied, expressionless yet exceptionally dutiful. "Thank you, Tata," Lanqi answered with a smile. He hadn't expected Talia's very first thought upon hearing the time to be that lunch was approaching. Still, since she was thinking of cooking for him, it was certainly something to be happy about. By now, their handler and good friend in the Kingdom of Posen, Lieutenant General Nigel, had already arranged Talia's identity as the fiancée of Lanqi's disguised persona as a professor. Talia occasionally showing her face in the capital of Brillda would no longer pose any significant issue. What was more, she could comfortably fire up the stove at his home in Saint Creti Monastery. The two chatted in the liminal space. "Meow, is this settlement space unique to the curtain call of the Blood Moon Ruined World?" Boss Cat asked, its ears twitching from time to time. In its memory, this liminal space was far more magnificent than the last time it had visited, with shooting stars streaking across the sky at regular intervals. Gradually, a solitary rhythm joined in. The melody trembled at times and drew out long at others, as if straining to suppress an inner torment, deep and enduring, laying down a melancholic undertone impossible to escape. Occasional brisk notes were interspersed throughout, like shimmering moonlight breaking through the night—bright yet freezing cold. The entire melody advanced slowly and heavily, like someone forcing a smile while stumbling along the edge of a frozen precipice. The music was steeped in profound loneliness and an imperceptible hint of madness. "I think so. The series of Blood Moon Ruined World Shadow Worlds has finally drawn to a close, marking the end of a chapter in history and an era," Lanqi replied to the little black cat in Talia's arms as he listened to the melody drifting through the liminal space. "It sounds surprisingly nice, meow," Boss Cat remarked, bobbing its head nimbly. The tempo picked up slightly, and the piano chords turned discordant, as though cracks were forming across an outwardly calm surface. The pitch grew shrill, verging on a soundless shriek, which startled Boss Cat and sent it leaping onto the floor. All the notes converged as the music reached its crescendo. A tempest of emotion, both sorrowful and fanatic, erupted as long-repressed feelings finally burst forth. Then, everything gradually subsided, returning to the lonely piano notes of the beginning, though this time, a trace of relief seemed to linger in the playing. The movement steadily drew toward its conclusion, leaving behind a restless resonance—like an unsolvable riddle, or a wound that would never heal. The final modulation reverberated in the air for a long, lingering while. "Boss Cat, you're about to become a divine beast. How are you still such a scaredy-cat?" Lanqi remembered that even at Tier 7, Boss Cat had been startled by a rat. Of course, that time had actually been the Poet of Great Love screeching wildly because she mistook a Moonshadow Fox for a giant black rat. "How could a cat not be afraid of rats?! Those things are terrifying, all right?!" Boss Cat argued vehemently with Lanqi. "Well..." Lanqi choked on his words. For a moment, he couldn't tell whether his common sense was flawed or whether Boss Cat was just built differently from other cats. Still, he wasn't a cat himself, so he had no right to dispute the matter with an actual cat. Having stood quietly to the side for a good while, Talia cleared her throat. She had wanted to say something for some time now. Since the Shadow World's settlement was taking longer than expected, she might as well just bring it up here. By now, she had finally gathered her thoughts. "Once we return to the mortal world, you might as well send back those two fake fiancées from the allied spy network and the Resurrection Church. As long as you reach Tier 7, I should be fully capable of serving as your fiancée. No one is more suited to play your wife than me." Talia lightly tapped Lanqi's heel with her toe, speaking with a touch of conviction. Her current identity was that of a talented magitech instructor from Nyxasende on the northwestern frontier, who had recently resigned from her post to come to Brillda, fulfill her betrothal, and become a full-time homemaker. "The problem is, they've probably already made the arrangements. After all, we've been in the Shadow World for twenty-one days," Lanqi noted, counting the days on his fingers. He couldn't reach Tier 7 just yet; the Shadow World would only bring him to the peak of quasi-Tier 7. He would need to return to the mortal realm and complete the class inscription step before he could truly advance to Tier 7. Until then, it would still be difficult for him to sustain Talia's continuous mana consumption. "First of all, I have to remind you that Yabo is dependable when it comes to major matters, but completely unreliable when it comes to the small stuff. You should have realized that from the stage play the other day. The performance had already ended before the extra Yabo found for Abigail even arrived! When it comes to a fiancée, he might very well dig up some utterly bizarre Resurrection Church woman. If she ends up living under the same roof with us, we'll be in for endless suffering." Talia furrowed her brows, solemnly walking him through the worst-case scenario. "True enough." Lanqi nodded thoughtfully. "Still, if she does show up, Tata, don't bully her. After all, the Dimensional Branch is on our side now." He looked toward Talia as he spoke. Toliado had once declared that he would "find a woman worthy of McCarthy," and Talia had likely held a grudge over that remark ever since. "Since when am I that petty? I truly don't care at all about what he said," Talia replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "Heh, I really am curious about what kind of 'exceptional woman' the Resurrection Church will send. I'm just making it clear to you in advance: don't hold high hopes for whatever woman Yabo finds." Never mind living under the same roof—Talia would probably look at any cultist woman once and find her utterly revolting. No matter what type of girl she was, Talia would never acknowledge her. "You definitely mind, don't you...?" Lanqi asked, observing her expression. "I don't," Talia answered decisively. "Well then, once I get back and rest up, I'll contact Unity and Toliado. If the fake fiancée on their end hasn't been arranged yet, I'll definitely have to rely on you, my most dependable master." After careful consideration, Lanqi offered a plan. "No problem." Talia agreed with a brief nod. Although she had hoped Lanqi would agree outright, hearing him call her the most dependable put her mind at ease. Besides, even if they did send over a fake fiancée, she wouldn't hold a candle to Talia. Having an eighth-tier princess play the role of a fiancée was an opportunity one could only dream of. Lanqi would soon realize that Talia was the sole optimal choice, and that none of her wonderful qualities could ever be replaced by any other woman. "It's not that I actually want to pretend to be your fiancée. It's just that if word somehow reaches Huberian that you got into a fake marriage in Brillda, she would be heartbroken. So it's much better for me to handle this sort of thing instead," Talia added. "That's true... Misunderstandings like that do happen easily in espionage. Until the mission is complete, it's impossible to explain whether a marriage is real or fake." Lanqi understood the reasoning well. National hatred, family grudges, undercover missions—situations where one's lips were sealed occurred all the time. "You know me, my lips are always sealed. So even if we pretend to be husband and wife in Brillda, I'll act as though nothing ever happened once we return to Ikerite. There's no way I'd let little Hubie misunderstand in the slightest," Talia said nonchalantly. "Meow meow." Boss Cat clamped its mouth into an 'X', not daring to speak as it looked between the two. It still vividly remembered Valentine's Day back in Palieu, the City of Flowers, when Tata had held Lanqi's hand inside the Colonges Sunbridge Inn Restaurant while on a communication call with Huberian. Boss Cat, Aetio, and Countess Rosalinda had watched from a rowboat on the river outside the restaurant, scared half to death. Now Tata seemed ready to take things to an even greater extreme. In Tata's view, as long as Huberian didn't find out, it was as good as never having happened. And all the experiences Tata shared with Lanqi were effectively clearing landmines for Huberian—fundamentally protecting Huberian. In this regard, Talia seemed to have inherited Caliera's sanctuary of gentleness. More often than not, she prioritized protection over truth, which allowed her to comfortably apply demon logic to make judgments that defied human morality. Of course, that was provided she didn't get caught; otherwise, she wouldn't even be able to fool herself. "Oh, Boss Cat, are you scared?" Lanqi looked down at Boss Cat. Boss Cat gazed around the space with a mix of nervousness and curiosity. To it, every corner seemed novel. This was only the second time it had seen the liminal space following the clearance of a Shadow World. "You participated in both key battles of this Shadow World, so there will definitely be rewards for you. Don't worry," Lanqi picked up the fidgeting black cat, holding it up as he spoke. He knew what Boss Cat was concerned about. Drawing from past experience, Lanqi had long understood that the greater the deviation from actual history during a Shadow World run, the longer the settlement process would take. The way he had resolved the final node of the Blood Moon Ruined World naturally deviated from Lancrosse's path in real history. Even though both paths led to a similar close of the era, his journey through the Shadow World had resembled a comedy far more than Lancrosse's unmitigated tragedy. "..." Talia glanced at Lanqi. "By the way, now that you've completed all four Shadow Worlds in the Blood Moon Ruined World series, will the rewards be even higher during the final settlement?" She had heard from Lanqi and Huberian that after clearing their very first Shadow World, they had seen information regarding the four nodes of the Blood Moon Ruined World series. With every completed Shadow World thereafter, they drew one step closer to the final node, and now they had arrived at the end. Based on how the Shadow World had progressed, Talia surmised that if they had merely fulfilled the objective in this Shadow World, Eternal Damnation Undying Finale, and done nothing further, they would have likely received only baseline rewards. If they had used the Mirror of Tiberius, learned the truth, and completed the Shadow World's 'bonus objectives,' the rewards would probably be far greater. "I don't know, but logically speaking, they should be." Lanqi raised his hand cheerfully, clenched his fist, and gazed at his palm. "Still, that isn't what matters most. The inner journey is far more powerful and precious than any strength brought by magic cards." In truth, he had thoroughly enjoyed this lengthy journey spanning multiple Shadow Worlds. Lessons unaccompanied by pain were meaningless. Yet when one weathered the trial of suffering, overcame it, and transcended it, one forged a steadfast heart that would never yield to anything. An iron resolve like Lancrosse's. Shed the old scabs, and follow this path to new life. "Your mindset really is the same as always. If it were me, I wouldn't want to recall those three trips through the Mirror of Tiberius ever again," Talia said with a laugh, shaking her head and sighing. "Meow meow, what did you two experience? And what's the Mirror of Tiberius?" Boss Cat remembered that Lanqi and Tata had disappeared for an entire day back at Purgatory Corridor Academy. From that point onward, in its eyes, Lanqi had suddenly made the crazy decision to head to the Demon King City and then march south. Furthermore, Lanqi and Tata's relationship seemed to have grown noticeably closer—not in how they behaved around each other, but in how deeply they understood one another's hearts, evolving from friends into true soulmates. Boss Cat suspected that single disappearance had been the turning point for the entire Shadow World. "Boss Cat, if you ever see a six-sided cubic mirror in the future, make sure you don't touch it carelessly," Lanqi poked Boss Cat on the forehead, offering a gentle warning. An ominous legendary magitech artifact like the Mirror of Tiberius had likely vanished from history for good. Just as the three of them were chatting leisurely as they usually did at home in Saint Creti Monastery, lines of text suddenly flickered into view within the wondrous, starlit space. Gleaming white halos scrolled line by line across the darkened expanse: [Shadow World 'Eternal Damnation Undying Finale' Cleared.] [Calculation complete. Evaluation generating.] [Challengers Lanqi, Talia, and Yami entered as a team. Team settlement mode applied.] [During this exploration-type Shadow World, lasting a total of 21 days, in addition to completing the primary objective, you successfully breached Blood Moon City on your initial foray and defeated the Ninth Progenitor Marquis Bernhard, the Eighth Progenitor Marquis Somerset, the Seventh Progenitor Marquis Heretier, and the Third Progenitor Duke Rasheal of the Blood Moon Ruined World era.] [The team achieved the following accomplishments:] [Holy Polant S — Under your influence, the seeds of upheaval planted in the Polant Empire finally sprouted, birthing the Holy Polant Theocracy and an unprecedented Second Generation Pope. She may prove even more radical than the First Pope, ultimately accomplishing the great feat of conquering the entire southern continental expanse.] [The Journey D — You retraced the steps of a bygone journey.] [Era of Peace A — You did not lose yourself to hatred or spiritual trauma, pursuing peace from beginning to end.] [Profane Love SS — You understood the love of the Sovereign of Blasphemy, Melogas. After vanquishing her, you spared her life and made her your friend.] [Grand Achievement in Rites and Music C — Through your efforts, the Poet of Great Love became a legendary beautiful maiden. Not only did she stop targeting musical instruments, she ceased being the Poet of Great Love altogether.] "Wait, what is this?!" Talia asked in bewildered shock. "The Shadow World not writing 'Legendary Voice Actress C' is already being quite polite," Lanqi said, stepping half a pace back with his hand raised, stifling his laughter behind his fingers. Recalling Talia pitching her voice at the end of the Shadow World to proclaim, "The legendary beautiful maiden Lanfu makes her entrance!" Lanqi felt he could live happily every day from now on. "Lanqi, I'll kill you! Forget it right this instant!" Talia shouted, grabbing Lanqi by the neck and shaking him, which only caused him to burst into outright laughter. [Phantom of Caliera S — As the former Regent of the Demon Realm, even after losing your power, you transformed into a guardian celestial spirit to accompany your dearest friend, aiding him in accomplishing his goal and flawlessly countering the Blood Clan's web of conspiracies.] [Tyrant of the Black Sun SSSS — You stood above a billion lives.] "Meow, will you two look at the epilogue already!" Boss Cat grumbled with a shake of its head. It had heard that back during the Sanctuary Villains' Banquet, the Poet of Great Love had been fixated on the pipe organ. Last time, in the McCarthy restaurant within the Darkest Solar Eclipse Realm, the piano had nearly fallen victim to her wicked hands as well. In that regard, Tata was far more dignified than the Poet of Great Love. The Poet of Great Love was clearly gifted in music, yet she held instruments in absolute contempt. Ever since Tata had merged with the Poet of Great Love, Lanqi never had to worry about the Poet causing trouble again. If the Poet accidentally broke some priceless instrument, damages caused by a summon were pinned entirely on the summoner, and Lanqi would have to bear full responsibility. Boss Cat remembered vividly that the most terrifying instance had involved the priceless piano in the Duke's estate. A foreign tycoon had once offered one hundred and eighty thousand pounds for it, but Duke Migaia had refused to sell. After the Duke vanished, were it not for the piano's immense weight and the multiple barriers surrounding the ducal manor, it probably would have been stolen long ago. That very piano had also been Lanfu's most likely target. Now that Lanqi had grown used to Talia, however, he probably didn't even want Lanfu to return. While the two were horsing around, the Shadow World's evaluation continued to refresh. [Assault on Blood Moon City S — With the coordination of powerful Great Demon allies, you breached Blood Moon City toward the end of the Blood Moon Ruined World when its defenses were compromised.] [Recognition of the Great Demons A — You earned the acknowledgment of four ancient Great Demons: the Sovereign of Blasphemy, the Sovereign of Bones, the Sovereign of Mercury, and the Sovereign of Myriad Might.] [Return to Purgatory City C — You returned once more to the place where you commanded thunder and lightning.] [Nuclear Fusion Virtuoso E — You do not yet realize the scale of what you just unleashed.] [Mirror of Tiberius S — You tested the perilous magitech artifact left behind by the ultra-ancient Great Demon, the Sovereign of Suspension, three times.] [Endless Spacetime E — You experienced an excessively protracted punishment.] [Tiny Spark C — You protected the spark left behind by Caliera, allowing it to kindle a new tale and fresh hope.] [...] [Riding the Wind Home E — Return with the gentle breeze, return with the pattering rain; leave all things to oblivion, lay down every old dream, until the sea of the heart gradually fills.] "..." Talia slowly released Lanqi, watching the rolling text come to a halt. "Some of these achievements seem to belong to Huberian and the others. We can see the achievements shared between both sides," Lanqi said, chatting with Talia as he looked at the words. [Accomplishment review concluded. Evaluation generation complete.] [You have walked a long and arduous road, pitch-black and far beyond reach. You heard their voices weighing your every choice, sinking deeper into a serene embrace. Love swept over you like a tidal wave, striking you down, encountering souls that surfaced and soared. Even when your heart ceased to beat, you could find no peace.] [One life, one road, one heavy burden after another, remembered by none. A tormented soul ever yearns for heaven.] [The Requiem sung in that hour marks a new beginning carved by destiny past.] [The waning moon waxes once more, reenacting reunion and parting.] [Overall Evaluation: SSS] [Tier Advancement: Lanqi Tier 6 → Tier 6 (Limit), Talia Tier 8 → Tier 8, Yami Tier 8 → Tier 9.] The moment the rewards settled, Boss Cat experienced a breakthrough in its tier. Lanqi, already at Tier 6, reached the absolute limit of Tier 6, held back from Tier 7 only by his advancement requirements. Talia, looking somewhat surprised, clenched her hands, feeling her strength and mana surging. "Master, how is it?" Lanqi asked Talia. "Going by your leveling scale, I'm probably around 83 or 84 now?" Talia guessed uncertainly. Even without the amplification from Lanqi's mark, she was confident she could now hold her own against Perlman, the formidable enemy they had faced at the end in the City of Flowers. And if she had Lanqi's enhancements on top of that, she wouldn't even flinch if she ran into the lowest-ranked God of War! Confirming her newfound power, Talia couldn't help feeling a surge of excitement. She was finally no longer at the very bottom among the Great Demons. "You really are this master's good disciple!" Talia gave Lanqi a tight hug, then released him and gripped his shoulders, showering him with praise. Wandering for a century couldn't compare to riding Lanqi's coattails through a single Shadow World. If she had met him sooner, she might have already restored her kingdom by now. "..." Lanqi wore a completely stunned expression. He had never imagined Talia would hug him. "Celebrating! Just celebrating, don't misunderstand, I didn't mean anything by it!" Noticing Lanqi's expression, Talia realized what she had done and that she had gotten carried away. She swiftly pulled her hands back, stammering slightly. Meanwhile, Boss Cat, feeling the enlightening rush of its tier breakthrough, was still completely frozen. "Boss Cat, how does it feel?" Lanqi asked the motionless little black cat. It seemed lost in a cosmic storm of thoughts. Though Boss Cat was basically a paramecium devoid of ordinary combat capability, it was nonetheless a miraculous Tier 9—perhaps the only Tier 9 mascot in history. To begin with, its tier had to be nursed high enough just to enter high-tier Shadow Worlds. On top of that, it had to be dragged through high-tier runs while collecting faith power that a creature completely lacking majesty should never have been able to gather. Under normal circumstances, its species could never have been raised to Tier 9. "...Lanqi, I'm really Tier 9, meow! Look, look!" Feeling its cat life was now complete, Boss Cat floated around Lanqi, shouting with glee. Its psychokinesis lifted both Lanqi and Tata into the air as well, leaving them floating freely without gravity in this cosmic, starlit liminal space. If one intended to perform another inscription, one would temporarily remain at the limit state. If one had no intention of inscribing whatsoever, one would break through directly. Boss Cat had likely figured that not only would it be nearly impossible to find spatial-attribute link or mechanical materials, but given its own combat strength, an inscription attempt would likely fail, causing a massive regression in power and costing it the chance to reach Tier 9. Better to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to step into Tier 9. It wanted safe, steady happiness! "Indeed, I can feel you've gotten a lot stronger," Lanqi agreed. At Tier 8, Boss Cat's mana intensity had rivaled that of a Tier 5. Now that it had reached Tier 9, even among Tier 6s, it was a force to be reckoned with. Crossing three tiers—truly monstrous. "Meow?" Boss Cat looked up, saw Lanqi's solemn, thoughtful expression, and slowly lowered Lanqi and Tata back down. Lanqi seemed to be thinking something extremely rude again! Before Boss Cat could interrogate him, Talia crouched down out of curiosity and patted it. "By the way, Boss Cat, you're Tier 9 now, but you still don't know how to turn into a human?" Talia asked. Back in the Old Demon Realm, magical beasts would naturally learn how to transform without even studying metamorphosis magic—some by Tier 7, and the slower ones by Tier 8. Yet Talia had never heard of a beast that couldn't transform even at Tier 9. "Meow meow? Do other beasts all know how to transform by Tier 9?" From Tata's tone, it sounded as if everyone else could do it except for it. Yet it truly hadn't felt any epiphany regarding metamorphosis magic. If it truly wanted to walk on two legs, it still had to rely on the Metamorphosis: Human card Lanqi had crafted. "..." Talia's gaze instantly turned profoundly pitying. "Tata, why are you being rude too, meow!" Boss Cat felt Talia's eyes were asking, Has your intellect even awakened? "No, not at all," Talia denied, shaking her head. "No, it's not that I don't know how, it's that turning into a human is completely unnecessary! Tata, if you turned into a cat once, you'd understand, meow! Being a cat is so comfortable. Human bodies, on the other hand, are full of troubles, and keeping balance is awful!" Boss Cat threw its head back, trying desperately to explain itself to Talia. "Sorry, Boss Cat, I really wasn't making fun of you," Talia stroked the cat's back, soothing the little black creature. She treated Boss Cat with far more respect than Lanqi did; after all, she and Boss Cat were old friends who had known each other ever since arriving in Ikerite. Internally, however, she paid no mind to Boss Cat's words. She was used to her humanoid form and saw nothing wrong with it. "The review is about done. The rewards should be finishing up soon," Lanqi said to Talia, reading the text before them. Both of them were relaxed now. Talia stood up, waiting alongside Lanqi for the Shadow World's final settlement rewards. "It'd be best if it gave you a Tier 7 Interlocking Decree. That sealing spell is so versatile," she remarked to Lanqi. Inside the Mirror of Tiberius, she and Lanqi had witnessed the spells Lancrosse once wielded. The rewards Lanqi was most likely to receive would be tied to the two final bosses he had defeated—the Sovereign of Blasphemy, Melogas, or the Third Progenitor, Duke Rasheal—or perhaps connected to Lancrosse, the Sovereign of the Black Sun, whom he had portrayed. He would probably draw from those three reward pools. "That would be nice," Lanqi agreed. Having experienced the spell inside the Mirror of Tiberius, he too felt it was an all-purpose technique. Interlocking Decree could seal an incapacitated target or a target far weaker than oneself inside an interlocking stone pillar. The seal could not be broken until the pillar was shattered from either the inside or outside. At times, it could also be cast on oneself for defense when an enemy attack was bearing down. Those had all been Lancrosse's techniques. "Let's skip Undying Eternal Damnation, though. As long as you don't pull that, we can call it a success." Talia harbored an intense aversion toward that other sealing spell. Even if it was Lancrosse's signature spell, the side effects were simply too immense. Granted, invoking Undying Eternal Damnation would manifest that black centipede brand across his face, which could probably terrify a Blood Clan progenitor, but if things ever reached that point, it would mean Lanqi was trapped in a desperate crisis just like Lancrosse had been. Talia absolutely did not want Lanqi ever using that spell. If Lanqi actually pulled it, he might really use it. The only comforting thought was that she could at least serve as his safety net. In the worst-case scenario, before Lanqi could turn into an undead, she would turn him into her familiar, letting him live alongside her. And when her own lifespan drew to a close, she would grant her familiar peace. "Please don't, Master. If I become your familiar, you'll be checking your blood pressure every single day," Lanqi interjected upon hearing Talia's thoughts. He didn't even know whether he should thank her or tell her to stop having such ideas. "What else am I supposed to do? We've managed to scrape by together for this long—I can't just let my only disciple die, can I?" Her train of thought interrupted, Talia instinctively shot back at him. "Wait, that's not what I meant..." Before Talia could explain, she noticed another change. [Blood Moon Ruined World Final Node: Rewards for Lanqi, Talia, and Yami anchored.] Spheres of light shrouded in kaleidoscopic mists began to coalesce from the void. The first sphere appeared like a miniature planet, drifting toward Boss Cat. "Why is this card glowing so brightly...?" Boss Cat's jaw dropped as it stared at the dazzling pink sphere floating toward it. It wasn't that it had never seen a Pink Divine magic card before, but it had never seen one radiate with such blinding mana intensity. "This is likely a Tier 9 magic card, which is far rarer even than a Tier 8 card," Talia observed, gazing intently at the pink sphere. Even Tier 8 magic cards rarely appeared at auctions held by the Card Makers Association of the Southern Continent. As for natural magic cards, they often contained magical principles tied to the cleared Shadow World that did not exist in the modern mortal era, making most of them far more valuable than artificial cards of the same tier and quality. A Tier 9 magic card was rarer still. After all, in any given era, only a handful of beings were capable of wielding such cards. "Boss Cat, in a sense, a level 90 Pink might be even more prestigious than a level 80 Orange," Lanqi remarked, turning toward Boss Cat and its radiant pink light. "Is that so, meow?" Boss Cat didn't entirely follow Lanqi's unique terminology, but it somehow grasped his meaning. As Boss Cat lifted a paw and gently tapped the orb, a translucent pink slab etched with divine-era airflow patterns materialized before it. [Night Dew and Wind's Murmur] [Category: Spell Card] [Quality: Pink Divine] [Attribute: Wind / Healing] [Tier: 9] [Effect: Consumes all mana and puts the user into a slumber. Grants mass invulnerability to all targets within range, gradually restoring their health and mana. Cooldown: 1 hour.] [Note: When distant sunlight shines upon the depths of dreams, you shall awaken when the gentle breeze blows once more.] Boss Cat quickly looked back toward Talia and Lanqi. It had no idea if the card was good or not. Still, it was the only one here capable of using a Tier 9 card. Before it could even ask: "Pretty standard, an upgraded Storm Dragon." "Can withstand Tier 9 damage, plus it has that prestigious mana regeneration." "The downside is that Boss Cat disconnects as soon as it's cast." "No qualitative shift, basically an enhancement of its usual traits." Lanqi and Talia had already launched into a serious discussion, their eyes fixed solely on each other and the card. "Why are you two reviewing it already?!" Boss Cat suspected their card-making collaborations had practically conditioned them. The moment they laid eyes on a magic card, they immediately slipped into Tata's classroom mode. "So is this card good or bad, meow?!" Boss Cat cut in, asking anxiously. Compared to the Tier 8 epic necklace Dawnstorm from last time, which had looked overwhelmingly powerful at first glance, this Tier 9 divine spell Night Dew and Wind's Murmur seemed a bit underwhelming. "A bit inferior to Dawnstorm, but it's a spell card, so it's straightforward and easy to use," Talia evaluated, looking at the Tier 9 Pink Divine card. Besides, it was Tier 9. The visual effects were bound to be dazzling. "Boss Cat, with you around, it's like having five extra lives. You're practically the strongest," Lanqi added, scooping up the cat. "Meow meow meow~ meow meow meow~" Hearing such high praise from two Platinum-rank card makers, Boss Cat spun in circles, singing joyfully. "Hoho meow! Lanqi, you've never had a life-saving spell, which means I'm becoming more and more useful, meow!" Boss Cat cheered up instantly. "Boss Cat..." To the side, Talia felt Boss Cat shouldn't speak too soon. Sometimes getting replaced happened in the blink of an eye. After all, who could have predicted that Lanqi's ultimate trump card, Lanfu, would suddenly be phased out? "What about yours?" Boss Cat rested on Lanqi's shoulder, noticing that light spheres had yet to appear before Talia or Lanqi. The two of them were resting on the steps of the starry plaza in the liminal space. "The Shadow World is dispensing the rewards much slower than last time," Lanqi said, turning his head toward Boss Cat. It seemed the more complex the rewards, the longer the Shadow World took to calculate them. "If Boss Cat got a Pink Divine, then Pranay and the other three probably got Divine-tier cards as well," Talia mused. Lower-tier epics were somewhat manageable, but obtaining a high-tier epic was extraordinarily difficult even in high-tier Shadow Worlds. Those four Great Demons hadn't contributed enough to earn any magic card rewards on their own, but scraping together enough assists to secure Tier 8 Divine cards sounded reasonable. "Even a Tier 8 natural Pink Divine card is extraordinary. They're anachronistic relics that can neither be bought nor crafted," Lanqi noted. He suspected that only Xigelei might walk away with a Tier 8 Epic natural magic card. She had not only defeated the surface boss, the Sovereign of Blasphemy, Melogas, in direct combat, but she had also achieved the irreplaceable feat of uniting the Holy Polant Theocracy as its Second Generation Pope. Her contribution had to be exceptionally high. "Xigelei? How could Xigelei receive rewards?" Talia asked, overhearing Lanqi's inner thoughts. She suspected Lanqi had just exited the Shadow World and hadn't fully cleared his head yet. Granted, as a mother, she missed Xigelei dearly too, but she wouldn't daydream about meeting Xigelei in the real world. "R-right, true," Lanqi quickly adjusted his thoughts. Suddenly. Talia saw two clearly visible spheres of light materialize before her. One sparkled with orange radiance, while the other glowed purple. Both were rewards meant for her. "I have two? And I got an Epic...?" Talia wasn't entirely sure of her contribution to this Shadow World either. Though she had participated in both final boss battles, her role had leaned more toward support. Most of the time, she had simply provided Lanqi with companionship. "Master, you were genuinely helpful in this Shadow World," Lanqi acknowledged. "Hmph, finally realizing your big sister's worth?" Talia let out a small huff and reached out to touch the orange orb first. The light dispersed, dissolving into pure mana. The translucent card felt cool to the touch, its pale hue carrying a subtle gradient that softened toward the edges, shimmering like sunlight playing over shallow ocean waters. The familiar aura allowed Talia to instantly recognize it as Caliera's power. [Veil of the Fallen Kingdom] [Category: Spell Card] [Quality: Orange Epic] [Attribute: Illusion / Concealment] [Tier: 1] [Effect: Upon activation, blocks all detection spells and conceals the caster's appearance, causing observers to see what they most desire to see.] [Note: Don the veil, and you may become her.] "So it's this spell." Talia didn't even need an appraisal to understand its effect. She had been utilizing an almost identical passive spell throughout the entire Shadow World. "Tata, did you get a skin card, meow?" Boss Cat floated over, eyeing the Epic card. It had seen several skin cards crafted by Lanqi, particularly the many skins for the Poet of Great Love—including exclusive transformations meant only for her, which Talia had now claimed for herself. Yet those had all been Purple Rare transformation cards. This Caliera skin was an unprecedented Epic grade, an extravagant luxury. Boss Cat couldn't even fathom what astronomical price it would fetch on the market. "Don't underestimate this concealment effect. Throughout the entire Shadow World, not a single soul saw through her to Talia," Lanqi said, tapping Boss Cat's head as he explained. This wasn't a simple skin; it was an innate ability possessed by the Phantom Demon Clan, carrying true illusory concealment attributes. Only a supreme Phantom Demon like Caliera could possess such natural talent. Because of this veil, once Talia transformed into Caliera, no living being could detect her true identity. The only possible way to recognize her was through physical means. "Such as?" Talia asked Lanqi, puzzled. She had worn the veil throughout the Shadow World and hadn't realized there was any way to tell her apart. From Lanqi's tone, it sounded as if Caliera's concealment wasn't entirely foolproof. "..." Lanqi didn't answer right away, but instinctively sniffed the air. "Drop dead, Lanqi! Don't sniff me! You pervert!" Talia grew agitated instantly, turning her head away and holding out both hands to push him back with all her might. She knew that ever since becoming the Lord of Mad Love, she had inherited some of the floral and herbal fragrance native to the Poet of Great Love, but Lanqi sniffing her was definitely for another reason entirely. This guy was infuriating! "Still, Tata meow, your floral scent really is unique. Even Xigelei would always bury her face against you unconsciously," Boss Cat explained on Lanqi's behalf. It understood now. Aside from physically touching Tata, one could also distinguish her true identity through scent. As an animal, Boss Cat relied on smell far more than humans did, and it was a chef besides. In the Shadow World, Xigelei had practically had the nose of a hound—not only acutely sensitive to a warrior's aura, but exceptionally skilled at discerning scents. "Is my scent different from the Poet of Great Love's?" Talia asked Boss Cat after a brief hesitation. If her scent was identical to the Poet's, Huberian should have caught a whiff of it and noticed something amiss in the Shadow World. "It's different, meow. The Poet of Great Love is sweet, kind of like strawberry yogurt? Whereas your scent seems to shift depending on your mood, meow." Boss Cat recalled. "In what way?" Talia had assumed that becoming the Lord of Mad Love gave her the exact same floral scent as the Poet of Great Love, without any difference. "Meow meow..." Boss Cat drifted into thought, struggling for words. "When you're with Hubie, you give off a rich, soft blend of milk, magnolia, and distilled spirits. When you're looking after me, it's lavender, sweet orange, and vetiver—a scent that eases anxiety and lifts the spirits. Only on very rare occasions, like that time we went out together in the City of Flowers, does it carry the sweet aroma of fruit wine..." Lanqi propped his chin on his hand, reminiscing and breaking it down. "Stop talking!" Her face flushing bright red, Talia clamped a hand over Lanqi's mouth. She had never imagined Lanqi had such a vivid impression of her scent. The more detailed his description grew, the hotter her cheeks felt. It was as if this fellow was savoring her every nuance. She couldn't easily smell her own scent. Still, she could now understand why Lanqi enjoyed smelling her. "By the way, meow, what's that other one?" Boss Cat looked up toward the unassuming purple sphere of light. If it hadn't remembered Talia had two rewards, it would have already turned to wait for Lanqi's. Talia snapped back to her senses, released Lanqi, and wiped her palms on his clothes. Only then did she realize she had just given this kid another chance to smell her up close—and maybe even taste her. "A Purple magic card probably isn't anything special..." Talia reached out and grasped the purple sphere. The moment she saw the card, her words abruptly caught in her throat. [Metamorphosis: Cat] [Category: Spell Card] [Quality: Purple Rare] [Attribute: Concealment] [Tier: 2] [Effect: Upon use, transforms the caster's race into a cat without altering true attributes or characteristics. Cooldown: 24 hours.] [Note: Magic learned by Tamisha from the books left behind by Caliera.] Talia looked toward Lanqi, her expression stiffening. "I don't need this card, haha..." she laughed dryly. Lanqi always loved saying she was like a big gray cat, and she had fiercely denied it every single time, insisting she wasn't a cat. So what did the Shadow World mean by this?! "..." Lanqi merely smiled without a word, watching her quietly. His gaze held a touch of pity, mixed with a hint of warm encouragement. "Here, you take it, Lanqi." Talia generously offered the card to Lanqi. They were master and disciple; giving each other magic cards as gifts was perfectly normal. There was no need for Lanqi to be polite! "No, this is clearly meant for you, Master," Lanqi replied, politely holding up a hand to refuse. "I truly have no use for this! Why on earth would I turn into a cat?!" Talia cried in frustration, holding Metamorphosis: Cat like a hot potato. She turned to look at Boss Cat. "I don't want it, meow," Boss Cat answered before she could even ask. It was already a cat. There was no way it needed a cat transformation card. Talia stared at the card in utter distress, reluctant to put it away. Tossing out a natural magic card from a Shadow World would be too wasteful; selling it would fetch a tidy sum. Better to give it to Hubie. As long as she didn't use the card herself, that was all that mattered. Talia wrestled with her thoughts. Right then. She suddenly heard Boss Cat gasp in astonishment. A crimson radiance caught the corner of Talia's vision. Startled, she raised her eyes toward Lanqi. Without them noticing, two spheres of light had appeared before Lanqi as well. Just like the previous Shadow World, there was one main reward and one bonus gift. "Hey, hey, Lanqi, meow! Why is your reward glowing red, meow?!" Boss Cat smacked Lanqi on the head, its feline eyes wide with shock. "Could it be...?" Talia's eyelids fluttered in disbelief. This red was genuine and deep, having completely surpassed the realm of orange. Since it wasn't an Orange Epic tied to Lancrosse, it was likely the Red Legendary forged from the weight of his entire life. "A Red Legendary?" Lanqi's expression remained serene, as though the card's grade no longer mattered to him. True strength had never been something "yearned for"; it was something "already possessed." He raised his hand as calmly as ever and touched the crimson orb. The magic card slowly awakened in his grasp. The card face was completely pitch-black—so profound it devoured all light, as though condensed from the darkness of an endless abyss, resembling a living entity. Once opened, the crimson sphere transformed into a gateway leading to the unknown. Dense alchemical patterns coiled and twisted across the red light, looking as if they might erupt outward at any moment and take the shape of terrifying demons. Until the crimson light fully dissipated. [Black Sun Tyrant Damnation Decree] [Category: Spell Card] [Quality: Red Legendary] [Attribute: Sealing] [Tier: 7] [Effect: Upon activation, continuously consumes mana to lock the life state of a single target.] [Note: Roll the dice, choose your steps forward. A single misstep plunges you into the depths of Naraka. Though this road stretches without end, one can only grow accustomed to regret, until all dissolves into memory.]