https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-677-Unsealing-Lanchi-and-Thalia-s-Shadow-Weaving-Record-Part-1-/12585055/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-678-Lanchi-Encounters-the-Red-Haired-Youth-Once-More-Part-1-/12585057/
Chapter 677: Unsealing Lanchi and Thalia's Shadow-Weaving Record (Part 2)
Chapter 677: Unsealing Lanchi and Thalia's Shadow-Weaving Record (Part 2)
"Then tell me, what's so adorable about her?" Thalia decided to test Lanchi and asked inquisitively.
"Have you noticed? Shubelian's smile is very precious because she doesn't show it often. But when she genuinely smiles, the purity and warmth of that smile can instantly touch everyone's hearts, like a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds on a winter day..." Lanchi explained attentively.
Thalia listened to Lanchi's words, her eyebrows furrowed in silence as she stared at him.
"Moreover, Shubelian is reserved, thoughtful, easily embarrassed, and can become particularly flustered. Yet, she is exceptionally sensitive to others' feelings and often shows concern for her friends without even realizing it." Lanchi continued.
"Meow!" Cat Boss, listening to Lanchi's words, began to look around anxiously.
Oh no, Teacher Lan! You've fallen into a trap!
You're praising another girl right in front of a lady!
She might ignore you for the rest of the day!
"Also, Shubelian finds it hard to sleep soundly. Even when she does, she often looks as if she's crying in her sleep, with tears at the corners of her eyes. Her vulnerability and anxiety are adorable. In conclusion, she's just adorable."
Lanchi and Thalia continued their analysis with unbridled enthusiasm, leaving Cat Boss perplexed as he timidly tucked in his ears.
"You know a lot. Good job passing," Thalia said with a satisfied smile, nodding her head in approval.
"Huh?" Cat Boss was confused by the exchange.
Had Lanchi and Thalia formed such a close bond that they were now finishing each other's sentences? It seemed that Thalia was indeed different from other girls.
Debating with her didn't require second-guessing her thoughts.
With the cat in tow, the pair soon finished touring the outer hall.
As they passed through the gilded side temple doors, a central corridor of 117 meters, formed by a double layer of arches, came into view.
"But seriously, if you had [Demon Fusion], aside from obtaining Shubelian's passive ability, you could also steal a very important attribute." Lanchi interjected solemnly.
As they strolled further down the corridor, they eventually reached the spacious and dimly lit main hall, their gazes drifting upwards along the arching ceiling until they reached the vicinity of the dome, where a circle of massive rose windows allowed sunlight to cascade down, casting colorful shadows that danced upon their figures.
"What?" Thalia asked, recalling that according to her fusion level with Shubelian, her base attributes would be multiplied by an extremely low fusion rate, likely dropping to the level of a sixth-tier.
Aside from the demon passive ability, she didn't expect to gain anything new.
"Age," Lanchi replied, his eyes fixed on her.
"Are you crazy...?" Thalia's cheeks flushed, and she furrowed her brows, clenching her fists. Yet, she managed to restrain herself and refrained from punching Lanchi.
"I'm not going to fuse with Shubelian. Otherwise, you won't be able to tell us apart," she said with a hint of annoyance.
The Great Poet of Love was a manifestation of her, and by completely fusing with her, Thalia would effectively replace that aspect of herself.
However, if she were to fuse with Shubelian, Thalia wasn't sure what the outcome would be. While her will would likely remain dominant, she couldn't predict whether her appearance would remain the same or if Shubelian's will would coexist within her.
The thought of assuming Shubelian's appearance and wearing her clothes while interacting with Lanchi felt somewhat odd.
"Anyway, once I reach the seventh tier, I'll just choose a job tier with high spirit attribute bonuses," Lanchi said, no longer teasing Thalia.
He figured that another trip through the shadow world would likely propel him to the seventh tier.
The fourth node of the Blood Moon Calamity was guaranteed to be an eighth-tier shadow world, and if he could conquer it, he would most likely advance by another tier.
Currently, sixth-tier spells barely left a mark on his face due to his extraordinarily high spirit, resulting in high magic resistance. Additionally, the passive abilities of those few grand demon marks further bolstered his defenses. Now, only sixth-tier magic and above could effectively harm him.
Once he engraved his job tier and ascended to the seventh tier, he would undoubtedly possess an exceptional set of base attributes.
"Right, the higher the spirit, the better. You'd better hurry up and reach the seventh tier so you can devote all your magic power to protecting me," Thalia nodded in agreement.
She was Lanchi's absolute core at the moment.
At present, Lanchi could probably only support her in a full-on battle for a minute or two, and even if they faced an equally matched eighth-tier opponent, they would have to flee.
If Lanchi specialized in spirit and reached the seventh tier, he would finally have the endurance necessary for prolonged combat.
"You just take good care of me. Anyway, even if you reach the eighth tier, you probably won't have much combat power. It's better to rely entirely on me, the strongest one," Thalia said, her words carrying a hint of challenge as she glanced at Lanchi.
"Meow," Cat Boss chimed in, feeling that an eighth-tier Lanchi wouldn't be weak either. It was just that it would be challenging for him to make an appearance, as the eighth-tier Lanchi was comparable to the eighth-tier Sun Son, and Cat Boss had witnessed the latter's might in the recordings.
That opponent was likely a magic-tank hybrid, able to withstand and dish out damage. For example, the Eternal Luminous Tears of Immortality that Lanchi had given to Fred should have been effective against the Sun Son, who also presumably studied ancient sealing techniques like Immortal Everlasting Punishment and its advanced version.
However, Lanchi's path had diverged from the Sun Son's, as he often resorted to [Nuclear Fusion Wolf] when faced with difficult situations.
"Let's see yours, Tower." Lanchi wanted to know what Thalia's job tier passive ability was.
"Go ahead and appraise it," Thalia said reluctantly.
After all, their lives were now intertwined, and their powers were as good as shared between them.
[Absolute Dominator Specialty]
Category: Soul Engraving
Grade: Orange Epic
Attribute: Spirit
Tier: 0
Passive Effect: Increases magic power attribute by 14%, spirit attribute by 16%, and reduces cooldowns of spirit magic by 25%
"You have an orange job tier too?" Lanchi stared at her, surprised.
"Don't tell me you didn't expect the former Demon Princess to have access to the best materials for job engraving?" Thalia countered with a question of her own.
"... " Lanchi sometimes forgot that Thalia was a princess from over a hundred years ago.
"So, you'd better work hard and find a usable engraving material. It would be great if you could get your hands on a pink one. If you ask your sister nicely, I might even help you look for some materials. After all, when it comes to this matter, you can only rely on me. No one else will hand-deliver better materials to you," Thalia said, patting Lanchi's shoulder sympathetically.
After touring the main hall of the Pariah Cathedral of the Goddess, the pair decided to forgo visiting the other side halls and instead exited from the east side, consulting a map to locate the nearby Church of the Goddess of Fate.
According to Pariah's urban planning, the branches of various churches dedicated to different deities were clustered together in this area, making it convenient for believers and corresponding clergy to find their respective organizations.
A short walk of a few minutes brought them to the Church of the Goddess of Fate in the Flower City.
The architectural style of the Saint Pariah Cathedral was remarkably similar to that of the Pariah Cathedral of the Goddess.
Stepping inside, they saw a black bronze statue of the Goddess of Fate and the Wheel of Reincarnation standing tall in the center of the hall, surrounded by dozens of angel sculptures in various poses. The pulpit, altar, and offering tables were adorned with carvings of plant and floral motifs, recreating the divine landscapes of ancient times.
As they ventured deeper into the cathedral, Lanchi and Thalia's eyes fell upon a souvenir counter nestled in one corner.
Displayed behind the counter's glass were various trinkets, ranging from postcards to handcrafted illustrations of the 'Book of Creation', as well as boxes of treats.
Thalia's eyes immediately spotted what she was looking for.
"Hello, we'd like to buy some souvenirs, and may I ask if you have any amulets with the Wheel of Reincarnation for sale?"
Lanchi approached the counter and addressed a female priestess busy organizing drawers behind it.
"Of course."
The priestess, clad in a white robe adorned with golden embroidery and a small headpiece, turned to face them, a smile on her face.
"As for souvenirs, it depends on what you want. For the Wheel of Reincarnation, would you like one or a pair?"
She inquired, her eyes sparkling with warmth.
"One."
Both Lanchi and Thalia replied simultaneously.
They preferred to each have their own.
"Then it'll be a pair."
The priestess carefully selected two gems from the drawers behind the counter, one radiating a golden luster, shimmering with a distant brilliance, and the other a gentle green, vibrant and full of life.
She presented the gems to the pair, feeling that these particular ones suited them well.
"..."
Lanchi and Thalia glanced at the price tag.
While these attribute-less gems were not particularly rare or expensive, their price was still considerable.
It seemed that their value lay more in their symbolic meaning.
"Let's buy them."
Lanchi took out his South Continent Federal Bank crystal card.
There was no harm in splurging a little.
After all, the Wheel of Reincarnation was more of a mythical concept, and any stone could serve as its representation, so it was more about the sincerity of the wish than the gem itself.
"Oh, if you have a pair of bracelets, we can help you mount the gems on them."
Suddenly, the priestess noticed the matching bracelets that Lanchi and Thalia wore on their wrists.
Both of them lowered their heads to glance at their wrists, their eyes meeting briefly.
These were the 【Golden Honeycomb Bracelets】 they had won at the Golden Bee Amusement Park.
As the bracelets enhanced Lanchi's spirit attribute significantly, even more so than regular magic cards, they had been wearing them ever since their trip to the Posan Kingdom.
"Mounting the gems won't change the attributes, it will only alter the appearance of the bracelets. A small additional fee will be required for the service."
The priestess provided an explanation.
"Alright, then."
Lanchi and Thalia exchanged a quick glance before nodding in agreement.
It wouldn't hurt to offer a little extra to the Goddess of Fate.
And so, they took off their bracelets and handed them, along with the bank card, to the priestess behind the counter.
"Thank you for your patronage. Please wait a moment while I process your request. Feel free to take a seat over there."
The priestess rang up the sale, her smile widening with satisfaction, as she handed the packaged souvenirs to Lanchi and Thalia. She felt confident that her sales target for the month was now well within reach.
After all, it was rare for generous customers to purchase the Wheel of Reincarnation amulets.
Even the priestesses themselves were aware that these gems, aside from their aesthetic appeal, served little purpose and were quite expensive.
What followed was a lengthy wait, with Lanchi and Thalia taking a seat on one side of the cathedral.
Nearly an hour passed.
Thalia sat on the long pew, munching on the box of twenty-five treats she had bought, under the watchful gaze of the Goddess of Fate.
During this time, she offered some to Lanchi, but he declined, saying that watching her eat was enough for him.
Eventually, she managed to stuff one into his mouth.
Lanchi, on the other hand, was dozing off on the pew.
The sound of footsteps roused them from their idle state, and the priestess finally reappeared from the crafting room, a pair of bracelets in hand.
"Apologies for the wait."
The priestess presented the newly crafted bracelets to the pair. The sleek, streamlined design remained unchanged, resembling layers of interconnected leaves in a forest, but now each bracelet featured an additional gem adorned with the emblem of the Fate Goddess Church.
"No problem."
Lanchi and Thalia received the bracelets, hesitating for a moment as they exchanged glances. Ultimately, they both slipped on the bracelets, which now seemed more like a pair.
"Make a wish to the Goddess, and only with sincere prayers can it become the Wheel of Reincarnation."
The priestess offered a gentle reminder.
"That's alright."
Both Lanchi and Thalia hesitated, unsure about the idea.
"You don't have to say it out loud; the Goddess of Fate is watching over you."
The priestess added, strongly suggesting that they make a wish.
"..."
Lanchi and Thalia froze, feeling a slight tingle on their scalps as they stood beneath the gaze of the massive statue of the Goddess looming before them.
"Goddess, may Thalia be happy and free from suffering and abandonment from now on."
Lanchi clasped his hands together and whispered his wish to the statue.
Thalia, hearing his unspoken words, glanced at him, a hint of surprise in her eyes.
After a few seconds...
"Goddess, may Lanchi also be as happy as I am."
She followed suit, offering her own wish to the statue.
"May the Goddess bless you both."
With that, the priestess beamed at the pair, offering her blessings and farewells.
Lanchi and Thalia exited the cathedral, Lanchi carrying the paper bag of souvenirs they had purchased.
Due to the longer-than-expected wait inside the cathedral, it was now one o'clock in the afternoon.
The summer heat and sunlight along the Selena River induced a pleasant sleepiness.
As they strolled along the riverbank, neither spoke, while the little black cat looked up at them curiously.
"..."
"Why did you make that wish?"
Thalia felt a bit uncomfortable hearing Lanchi's sincere wish.
Accustomed to their bickering, she had expected him to say something that would irritate her in front of the Goddess.
As the pair strolled along the riverbank, the gentle breeze off the water brought a soothing sense of sleepiness. Lanchi's vision began to blur, and his head nodded slightly before drowsiness overtook him.
Lanchi tried to maintain a sliver of consciousness, but he eventually succumbed to the gentle embrace of sleep, slowly drifting into a dream.
...
His consciousness was hazy. He thought he saw flickering candlelight casting dancing shadows on the vaulted ceiling, like ripples spreading across a still pond.
This place reminded him of somewhere he had been before—
The Demon King's Castle, Nakalis, and the Demon King's Palace.
Compared to his memory of the throne room, it seemed emptier and more dilapidated, as if centuries had passed in the blink of an eye.
The air was filled with the fragrant smoke of incense candles unique to the Demon Realm, permeating the shadows cast by the carved columns.
A thick carpet stretched from the entrance to the far end, its heavy fabric seeming to swallow all sound.
The light filtering through the window tracery was no longer as bright as it had been when he visited with Quing Luo, instead casting a dim hue that turned the entire space murky.
At the far end, a solitary figure sat on the throne, shrouded in shadows.
She turned her head slightly and looked towards the side of the throne.
[My adorable little cat, have you finally seen me?]
Behind the gray-haired, golden-eyed woman stood a ghostly figure, its body wrapped in black mist, with only a pair of deep green eyes clearly visible.
"I don't want to talk to you."
The lone figure on the throne spoke coldly, her words creating an invisible barrier that separated her from the world.
[Realize that change is constant, and there will be times when you are helpless and have to let go and unload your burdens.]
The voice came from the ghostly figure, carrying a hint of instruction.
"You're not qualified to teach me these things. What have you ever lost? You don't even have any memories."
The woman turned her head again, her voice even more distant and aloof.
The ghostly figure seemed to respond to her words, smiling faintly before returning to its dormant state.
...
Time passed, and when Lanchi finally blinked his eyes open again, the sky had subtly transformed.
Through his blurry vision, he saw the Selena River shimmering with a golden hue, its ripples reflecting the clouds in the sky, which gradually changed from gold to pink.
The surrounding sounds became softer, and laughter and conversation drifted over from the distant riverbank, carrying the scent of flowers and grass, rousing him from his slumber.
He realized that he had been leaning on Thalia's shoulder.
But instead of pushing him away or waking him up, she had quietly let him rest.
"Are you awake now?"
Thalia, holding Cat Boss, asked in a calm tone.
Her voice sounded very similar to the one he had heard in his dream, but it was much kinder.
"Yeah, what time is it now?"
Lanchi quickly shifted his weight away from her, asking with a start.
"It's almost five."
Thalia replied.
"Ah, I slept that long?"
Lanchi was surprised. As he blinked and his vision cleared, he looked towards the opposite bank of the river.
The wind blew, and the entire vista was bathed in gold.
It was a mountain of gold and silver treasures that dazzled the eyes—
As the sun slowly set in the west, the entire Flower City of Pariah on the south bank was illuminated in a golden glow.
"Whoa, I'm revived!"
Lanchi stretched leisurely, trying to shake off the lingering sleepiness.
"Did you dream of something?"
Thalia looked up at him.
"No, no, it was more like a half-dream, half-awake state. I don't remember much."
Lanchi shook his head.
How strange, he thought. In his dream, it was as if their roles had been reversed, and he had become her familiar.
And what did she mean by "my adorable little cat"? he wondered. Why would he ever call Thalia, this tigress, that?
"My adorable little cat?"
Thalia furrowed her brows in confusion, repeating his words to herself.
"Meow, meow, meow! Are you calling me?"
Cat Boss perked up, asking with his soft, childish voice.
"Nothing, nothing."
Lanchi waved his hand dismissively.
Indeed, the legends of the Fate Goddess Church were all lies, and this dream was just too absurd.
Although he couldn't rule out the possibility of experiencing more illusions when he and Thalia collaborated on card creation using the Kaliella Shadow-Weaving Record in the future.
But he was certain that this ridiculous dream wouldn't have a sequel.
(End of Chapter)
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