https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-737-Rumors-of-Lanchi-Spread-in-the-City/12585213/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-739-Lanchi-Ventures-into-the-Mafia/12585230/
Chapter 738: Lanchi's Periodic Table of Attributes
Chapter 738: Lanchi's Periodic Table of Attributes
The setting sun cast long shadows on the dark wooden floor of the study on the second floor of Lanchi's mansion.
The clock on the wall ticked past half-past five.
Seated at his desk, Lanchi pored over several thick volumes of Crexin language materials, preparing for his upcoming work.
Talia sat beside him, keeping him company.
From time to time, she picked up her quill and helped Lanchi complete the notes he had started, filling in the gaps in the books before him.
She understood Lanchi's thoughts and the task at hand.
"Did you find this afternoon's rest helpful? Do you feel more efficient now?" Talia asked.
"Definitely," Lanchi replied.
As planned, after finishing his lunch, he had spent the entire afternoon resting on the bench by the creek at the Saint Crexin Monastery, and now he was back to work.
Talia had also started to share the workload of the Saint Crexin Monastery with him.
Not only had she almost optimized the tasks that were previously handled by the cat boss, but she had also begun to outperform the Great Lover Poet. Whatever the Great Lover Poet could accomplish, Talia could do better, and her knowledge of magical engineering far surpassed his.
"Why only 'almost' optimized the cat boss?" Talia looked up and asked.
She could always hear Lanchi's inner thoughts.
She wanted to know where she could improve further.
"Because it's a cat," Lanchi answered briefly.
"What do you mean?" Talia was perplexed.
"Because... it's a cat," Lanchi repeated.
"..."
Talia slowly clenched the pen in her hand. She understood now.
She really wanted to punch Lanchi.
But fearing that he would enjoy it, she restrained herself.
The afterglow of the setting sun painted the sky outside the study in a fiery hue, and occasionally, a goldfinch flew past the window.
Lanchi was completely engrossed in his lesson preparation, oblivious to the passing of time.
The fine tip of his quill scratched softly against the paper as he worked.
Monday would come again, and he had to be ready.
Lanchi needed to prepare in advance if he wanted to impart some of his knowledge. Disguising it as chapters from the "Book of Genesis" made it much more reasonable.
For example, during his last class in Elliott Hall, he had written "The Chapter of Seals and Imprisonment" and "The Chapter of Flames and Fury" in demonic script, subtly incorporating a significant amount of secret techniques from the Primitive Tablets of "Origin-Fire" and "Origin-Seal."
For the upcoming lessons delving into deeper topics, he would need to employ interpretations closer to magical engineering and could no longer solely rely on the "Book of Genesis" as a shield.
What he needed was the treasure of magical engineering—
The Periodic Table of Attributes.
It was an extremely important tool in the field of magical engineering, arranging the attributes according to their primordial ordinal numbers in ascending order, revealing the interconnections and patterns between attributes. The course "Introduction to Magical Genealogy" that Lanchi had favored the most back in the Ikelite Academy referred to this very table.
The "Book of Genesis" had already provided a prototype of the Periodic Table of Attributes. Starting from the Age of the Unknown, the table had undergone multiple arrangements, retranslations, and modifications, resulting in several types, such as the short form, long form, and elongated form.
The Ikelite Academy used the short-form periodic table for its teachings.
The table was compact and easy to refer to, making it suitable for displaying the basic nature of attributes. It was also applicable for beginners and instructional contexts, facilitating understanding and memorization.
On the other hand, the Crexin Empire had been using the long-form periodic table for a long time, and to be precise, the Kingdom also employed the long-form table for advanced courses.
At this moment, Lanchi held in his hands a book that contained the Crexin Imperial language version of the long-form Periodic Table of Attributes.
The overall structure of the periodic table was circular, with each attribute occupying a subtle fan-shaped space instead of the conventional rectangle.
At first glance, the left side of the first row contained only one attribute—the [Basic] attribute, representing a standard attack. Being at the very beginning indicated that it required no learning, as everyone possessed it inherently.
It corresponded to the first chapter of the "Book of Genesis," "The Chapter of Primordial and Blank," and similarly, to the Primitive Tablet of "Origin-Basic." The effect of this tablet was to strengthen all standard attacks, making it quite a unique tablet.
Moving to the right side of the table, the entire right half of the first row comprised elemental attributes.
Most people were inherently proficient in at least one or two of these elements: [Ice], [Fire], [Light], [Darkness], [Wind], [Lightning], [Earth], [Water], and [Wood]. These elements corresponded to Chapters 2 to 10 of the "Book of Genesis."
"You're more skilled in light and fire, while I have a greater affinity for ice and darkness," Talia remarked as she gazed at these elemental attributes. "It's quite strange how well we get along despite that."
She felt that she and Lanchi were destined to clash, but their interactions so far proved otherwise.
"The basic attribute is still the best. Everyone loves it," Lanchi said, shifting his gaze to the left.
"..."
"No, the mental attribute is the best. You must like it," Talia said, not sure why she felt a strange sense of competitiveness as she blurted out those words. "Remember the first magic card you made? That was a mental attribute."
She tried to jog Lanchi's memory about the first magic card he had crafted back in his hometown in the South Ventina territory.
"That's true," Lanchi mused, acknowledging that the mental attribute was indeed where his dream had started.
"The stealth attribute is pretty good, too. My most frequently crafted magic card, 'Transformation Technique: Human,' belongs to the stealth attribute, which I'm also most proficient in," Lanchi recalled.
He had crafted 'Transformation Technique: Human' so many times that he could do it with his eyes closed now.
"You've indeed become quite adept at the stealth attribute," Talia assessed.
Whenever she observed Lanchi crafting cards, most of the time, he was fiddling with transformation techniques.
She recalled that Hypberrian's most proficient attribute was stealth, and her demonic innate magic, which allowed her to erase her presence, was born from her main attribute—the stealth system.
Lanchi's gaze followed the sequence of attributes on the periodic table.
The stealth and mental attributes they had just discussed were located in the second and third rows, respectively.
On the left side of the second row was the [Poison] attribute, which was relatively close to the elemental attributes but already qualified as a special attribute. It corresponded to the eleventh chapter of the "Book of Genesis." On the right side were nine more attributes: [Appraisal], [Enhancement], [Healing], [Regeneration], [Alchemy], [Curse], [Corrosion], [Scouting], and [Stealth], corresponding to Chapters 12 to 20 of the "Book of Genesis."
Starting from the third row, the possession rate of attributes decreased significantly compared to the second row, and the rarity became more pronounced towards the right side.
The left side of the third row contained two attributes: [Mechanical] and [Link].
"To the right are eight attributes: [Mental], [Psychokinesis], [Illusion], [Barrier], [Slash], [Seal], [Counter], and [Undead], corresponding to Chapters 21 to 30 of the 'Book of Genesis'.
And finally, on the far left of the fourth row are the [Space] and [Divination] attributes, the most unstable and rarest of all. Even in most ages, the number of world powerhouses who possess these two attributes can be counted on one hand.
The only attribute on the right side of the fourth row is [Fate], standing there alone and elusive, beyond the grasp of all living beings, with no corresponding Primordial Tablet. However, it corresponds to the final chapter of the 'Book of Genesis', 'Chapter of Fate and Reincarnation', marking both an end and a new beginning. After a gap and an offset on the table, it seems to connect back to the [Basic] attribute at the top left corner of the circular periodic table.
"No one can control fate."
This is why there are thirty-three attributes, thirty-three chapters in the 'Book of Genesis', but only thirty-two Primordial Tablets," Talia said as she watched Lanchi close the book that contained the Crexin Imperial version of the attribute periodic table.
"Or perhaps fate is indeed in the hands of every person, for the Goddess of Fate has long since merged with the world itself, entrusting the power of fate to it," Lanchi mused with a smile.
"I thought you didn't believe in the gods?" Talia asked, puzzled.
"I don't believe in the gods, but I respect those who do. Some followers of the benevolent gods are steadfast in their faith and uphold their principles because of their sincerity. Isn't that a wonderful thing?" Lanchi replied as he set the book aside and turned to look at Talia. "I believe that those who sincerely pray to the gods of goodness cannot be bad people."
"Indeed," Talia agreed.
She had seen few as angelic as Xiu Bao, and she knew the young girl prayed to the Goddess every day.
Wait a moment.
Talia suddenly recalled that Lanchi had once prayed to the Goddess of Fate as well.
But he had done so with his palms pressed together and raised above his head, which had seemed a bit odd.
"Lan드리's sister, Elsa, is also quite a devout believer," Talia said, steering her thoughts away from Lanchi's peculiar display of piety.
She didn't want to dwell on it any further, lest she be considered disrespectful to the gods.
"That child mentioned going to the Pantheon at noon and only then to the theater in the evening. It's quite rare for young people to make the trip to the Pantheon from the Saint Crexin Monastery," Lanchi acknowledged.
In this regard, Elsa was similar to Hyberrian, who also made weekly trips from the Ikelite Academy in the east district of Ikelite to the Church of the Goddess of Fate in the north district to pray.
Aside from the Church of the Goddess of Fate, headquartered in Ikelite on the Southern Continent, there were many other churches scattered across the vast lands of both the Southern and Northern Continents, dedicated to various gods. For example, the temple they had visited in the Flower Capital of Palieah was the Temple of Love.
"If Hyberrian were here, she would surely visit the temples often. It's been a while since I last accompanied her to a temple," Talia said, realizing that she had been fantasizing about visiting temples in foreign lands with her friend.
Hyberrian had always been intrigued by the renowned Crexin Pantheon.
What Talia hadn't expected was that the last time she had visited a temple, it had been with Lanchi, the two of them exploring the Temple of Love.
"The Crexin Empire actually worships the God of War, and the Brierda War Temple isn't that interesting. But aside from the newly built War Temple in Crexin in the last century, there's also a Pantheon where most clerics and believers gather," Lanchi said as he pulled out a Crexin history book from the stack on his desk and flipped through its pages casually.
"In my opinion, Dean Lorren is the one who most resembles a cleric of the God of War. Yet, he's a cleric of the God of Fate and Reincarnation, not the God of War and the Sword," he added.
In the Crexin Empire, there was no dedicated Church of the Goddess of Fate. Those seeking the Goddess could find her statue in the Pantheon, where statues of various deities stood, tended to by clerics of different faiths.
For all churches, the source of divine magic lay in ancient texts passed down from the Age of Gods. Even though the world had been destroyed several times, traces of the 'Book of Genesis' remained, leading to the creation of the cleric profession, whose work was intertwined with the divine.
The 'Book of Genesis' consisted of thirty-three chapters. The first chapter was 'The Chapter of Primordial and Blank', and the last was 'The Chapter of Fate and Reincarnation'. Neither of these chapters contained any divine magic, but the remaining thirty-one chapters did.
Divine magic differed from arcane magic in that it relied more on resonating with the world or with the gods themselves, who existed on the conceptual side. As a result, divine magic consumed very little mana but could only be used a limited number of times per day.
The effectiveness of divine magic used by clerics was not only slightly influenced by the "Mental" and "Mana" attributes but also greatly influenced by the unique "Faith" attribute possessed by clerics.
Engaging in church work and divine duties provided opportunities to enhance one's faith attribute.
Additionally, if one believed in the Goddess of Fate, their faith attribute would be applicable to all chapters of divine magic. However, if they believed in a specific deity, their faith attribute would only be applicable to a single chapter, but the enhancement to the divine magic of that chapter would be exceptional.
Previously, in the sixth layer of the Helrom Underground Prison, Lanchi and Talia had encountered a drunk jailer who was a cleric of the God of Storms and Freedom. By specializing in wind-attribute divine magic, he could reduce and resist much arcane magic damage with his own wind-attribute magic. He could also use control-type divine magic to restrict the movements of prisoners within the prison and even push them back. In the Hanging Road of Death trial in the Demon World, he would have been virtually unstoppable.
"No wonder you have the 'Hanging Seal'," Talia exclaimed.
The sixth layer of the Helrom Prison had been constructed from the Hanging Road of Death, a relic of the ancient Demon World.
The Hanging Seal was one of the simplest seals, providing a small boost to the mental base attribute.
Back then, all the demons in the Demon World had wanted it.
After all, any boost to the mental base attribute was useful.
"So, was Lord Tebirius of the Hanging Road more powerful than Lady Caliere of the Falling Road and Lady Satiya of the Road of Despair?" Talia asked, curious about the relative strengths of the Demon World's lords. Lanchi rarely spoke about his past in the Northern Continent and the old Demon World, so she took the opportunity to ask. Soon, he would be taking her to the shadow world, where she could witness the Demon World of millennia past, so there was much to discuss.
"Of course. Even among the ninth-rank demons, there are varying strengths. Think carefully about who was imprisoned in those three layers," Lanchi replied, encouraging Talia to ponder the answer.
He knew that as her teacher, she would not hold back in imparting knowledge.
"As long as you don't ask some damn fool questions."
She sensed Lanchi's thoughts suddenly stirring, and added, "Oh, I see."
Lanchi propped his chin in his hand, deep in contemplation.
"You could actually tell from the layout of the Helrom Prison."
"Lady Caliere of the Falling Road could only be placed on the fourth basement level to trap the weakest, Antanas."
"And Lady Satiya of the Road of Despair trapped the strongest in direct combat, Cinora, on the fifth level."
"It was truly the sixth basement level of the Helrom Prison that blocked Planar with The Hanging Road of the Afterlife, the ultimate magic left behind by Lord Tebirius of the Hanging Road."
"From the demon tribe's historical records, Lord Tebirius of the Hanging Road was a ninth-rank Great Demon from an era several generations before Lady Caliere of the Falling Road. His Great Demon Trial is one of the oldest still in existence, and he specialized in the [Mental] and [Divination] attributes. He must have left behind quite a few treasures for the Demon World, but they have all disappeared throughout the long passage of history."
Talia continued her explanation, her eyes gleaming with knowledge.
"Often, Great Demons who are willing to sacrifice themselves become Great Demon Trials after their deaths, offering their last bit of value to the demons of future generations without reservation."
"Perhaps it was tens of thousands of years ago, or maybe even more than a hundred thousand years ago—it was a distant era, almost completely erased from memory. Nowadays, it's hard to calculate how many millennia have passed since the Age of Gods, and how many millions of years have turned over within that span."
"In Lady Caliere's time, perhaps we can still find relics left behind by Lord Tebirius of the Hanging Road."
Talia couldn't help but feel envious of Lanchi for possessing the Hanging Seal.
Only by truly traversing the path between life and death could one obtain the Hanging Seal through the harsh trial of the Hanging Road of the Afterlife.
But now that seal was hers, and she felt it was more convenient to just make a silent wish in her heart.
"Hey, aren't you going to separate my cards from the Great Lover Poet's?" Lanchi asked, confused.
"To be honest, I feel like I could completely devour Lanfu if I wanted to. After all, she and I share the same origin, and after merging, there's no distinction between us."
Talia smirked, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she threatened Lanchi, making it clear that she could take away his epic cards if she wanted to.
However, doing so might permanently consume the Demon Fusion and Great Lover Poet magic cards.
Talia couldn't bring herself to do that, not yet.
For now, she found Lanfu oddly endearing.
"In the world line shown to me by the Goddess of Fate, you obtained the Poem of Mercy and embarked on the path to invincibility, didn't you?"
Lanchi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing Talia's thoughts.
It was only when the room gradually darkened, the hour nearing six o'clock, that he realized what time it was and reached out to turn on the lamp in the study.
The warm yellow light spilled down, and Lanchi rubbed his slightly sore eyes, stretching lazily before deciding to take a short break.
He got up and walked to the window, opening it to let the crisp autumn air fill the room.
Taking a deep breath, Lanchi savored the beauty unique to the twilight of autumn.
However, in that world line shown by the Goddess of Fate, he would be beaten black and blue by Talia, wrapped up like a mummy. Hyberrian would meet her end early on in Ikelite. Upon discovering the truth about her niece, Talia could only stand before Hyberrian's gravestone, and her subsequent investigation would reveal that her sister had been harmed by the vampires. The Protoze Empire would fall, and the outcome for his old friends in prison wouldn't be too pleasant either.
And thus, there was the rise of Talia.
In essence, it was a tragic story of revenge.
The moment she lost everything, she was no longer the Talia he knew.
And the Poem of Mercy just so happened to grant her the power to exact her vengeance.
"..."
Talia joined Lanchi by the window, the two of them gazing into the distant autumn hues together.
"Thinking about it this way, I guess I should be grateful to you."
Talia's eyes softened, and she gently raised her hand to stroke Lanchi's hair.
"..."
Lanchi turned his head in surprise, looking at Talia.
The warm light seemed to veil her in a soft glow, and her golden demon eyes held an unprecedented gentleness.
This side of Talia was almost unrecognizable.
"Wait, why would I beat you up like that?"
Talia's expression suddenly shifted back to her usual self as she asked, locking eyes with Lanchi.
Logically, even if Lanchi's thoughts were that shameless, Talia's temper wasn't this good when they first met. Even after cautiously wandering in the human realm for over a hundred years, how could she have lost her cool and beaten Lanchi to a pulp out of anger?
"Ahem!"
Lanchi coughed loudly.
He felt the hand on his head turn dangerous, and he quickly tried to escape.
"Tell me right now, what did you do to make me so angry?!"
Talia, her eyes flashing with danger, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back, not allowing him to flee.
"Nothing, really, nothing at all!"
Lanchi frantically took off his jacket, ready to bolt.
"Oh, you want to run?"
Talia grabbed Lanchi's arm and pushed him against the wall, her eyes narrowing as she interrogated him.
"Come on, spill it. This time, you're not getting away."
Talia's strength far surpassed Lanchi's sixth-rank, and no matter how desperately he struggled, he couldn't break free from her grip.
Lanchi's forehead was beaded with sweat.
He deeply regretted sending the cat boss away.
With the cat boss around, Talia would at least hold back a little.
Now that they were alone, she could do whatever she wanted.
All he could do was suppress his thoughts and try to come up with a way to avoid Talia's mental connection and convince her at the same time.
It was like hell on earth.
Just as Lanchi was desperately racking his brains for a way to survive...
Suddenly, the communication magic card he had given Talia began to vibrate, interrupting their train of thought.
Talia frowned and let go of Lanchi, picking up the purple communication magic card.
"Why is it the cat boss?"
Talia muttered to herself, handing the card to Lanchi.
Unknowingly, the last rays of the setting sun had sunk beyond the horizon, making way for the rise of the night.
The reddish moon, veiled by a layer of light gray mist, cast a subtle crimson tint on the curtains of the study.
Lanchi reached out and answered the call.
"Meow... Lan... Hurry... Danger..."
The communicator transmitted Cat Boss's disjointed voice, accompanied by the sound of magical power fluctuations. The signal seemed to be severely distorted by spatial interference.
(End of Chapter)
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