Chapter 1 When You Are in a Bind, Just Look at the Wall

When the surrounding scenery brightened again, all that could be seen was a stretch of emerald green mountains reaching to the sky, where lush green meadows met winding streams.

The crystal-clear stream flowed endlessly, its rippling surface reflecting the swaying forms of the trees, resembling a pure sky screen from afar, bringing a dreamlike, illusory color to the scenery.

Lan Qi stood on a high ground, surrounded by irregular layers of white stone walls that connected to form a solemn temple. Vigorous vines twisted around the majestic stone pillars, adorned with flowers that trembled gently in the breeze.

Towering, flawless stone pillars firmly supported the exquisitely carved pure white ceiling, and the reliefs carved on it exuded an extraordinary sacred and solemn charm.

The mirror-smooth floor reflected the sunlight filtering through the suspended chandelier, and from the center of the temple, one could overlook the refreshing green landscape outside.

"I didn't expect there to be such an idyllic and beautiful place."

Lan Qi murmured, gazing at this primitive and mysterious realm.

"..."

Karen glanced at him speechlessly.

As expected, he's just a novice, only able to see the surface.

This realm may seem to be an exceptionally vast space, but in reality, it is a projection produced by the highest-level barrier technique, somewhat similar in principle to a man-made shadow world.

However, this space is different from a real shadow world, far inferior to it.

It can be said to be something between an artificial shadow world and a real shadow world.

Due to its inherent defects, it is impossible to go too far; at most, one can only leave the temple for a certain distance before finding it impossible to move any further.

Supporting the entire realm is a huge mural in the center of the temple.

The mural does not appear to be complete; it is easy to see that it is the prototype of the [Primordial Stone Tablet - Wind] stone relief, with obvious traces of magic artisans' modifications and complex barrier techniques engraved on it, but its material itself is not a product that can be created with human magic engineering technology.

"Lan Qi, we're not here to look at the scenery. If you want to gain insights, you should pay more attention to the mural."

Karen reminded him.

She couldn't quite tell what level Lan Qi was at, but she had been a little concerned about what Loren had said about Lan Qi's card-making skills.

A brief exchange would make it easy to judge.

Lan Qi turned his attention to the mural and gradually became fascinated.

A moment later, he finally spoke.

"It is said that when these thirty-two primordial stone tablet murals are pieced together, they depict a magnificent ancient war. Only after the gods perished did subsequent eras belonging to various living beings come into being. Seeing it with my own eyes is truly shocking."

"Are you really not concerned about the magic formulas on the mural at all?"

Karen was greatly disappointed. She didn't know how Lan Qi could earnestly sigh about something that was written in textbooks.

"I think the mural itself is more interesting."

Lan Qi smiled and said.

"That kind of thing can be seen in books at the academy."

Especially the [Primordial Stone Tablet - Wind], which has been thoroughly researched by various academies in recent years.

"Seeing it in person is different from seeing an image."

The two walked and talked, wandering around the temple.

In this space, one can feel an increasing mental pressure. No matter what level one is, being here for about two hours will result in being rejected and unable to enter this realm again. In this respect, it is even more similar to a real shadow world, possessing non-repeatable challenge characteristics.

It doesn't actually take too long to understand how much of the barrier technique on the mural one can comprehend.

Sometimes, when one has seen enough and doesn't want to suffer the mental pressure anymore, one can directly leave. Therefore, there are examples of magic artisans who observe for very short periods of time.

Generally, only card makers observe for a longer time. Because this realm has a structure similar to a shadow world, card makers can bring portable card-making toolsets in the form of magic cards, use the unique materials in the Primordial Stone Tablet realm to make magic cards, and soul-bind them to take them out.

This is also the principle by which battlefield card makers can increase their harvest in the shadow world. When entering and exiting the shadow world, only magic cards bound to the soul can be brought in and out. Therefore, only by creating magic cards in the shadow world is there a small probability of taking out the precious materials obtained during the shadow world conquest in another form.

In less than half an hour, they had both observed almost everything.

"Lan Qi, how do you feel?"

Karen asked with interest.

What she was curious about now was what level Lan Qi, the card maker favored by Loren, was at.

"I don't quite understand the formulas related to wind-attribute magic. This time, I can only broaden my horizons."

Lan Qi told the truth.

After seeing it, he really only thought the scenery was beautiful and the mural was good-looking; it was a style he had never seen before as an art director.

But when it came to the wind-based magic formulas on it, he felt like six of his seven orifices were blocked—he didn't understand a single thing.

Just like ordinary people can't understand sealing magic, he also couldn't understand wind magic.

Unless he was asked to appreciate the mural itself, he could offer many insights.

"You're really adorable, Lan Qi."

Karen tilted her head, smiled, and said to Lan Qi, "Are you still planning to make cards later?"

The materials in the temple are not that high-grade, just some scraps from the edges of the primordial stone tablets.

If one doesn't understand the barrier technique of the primordial stone tablet itself, then one can't make any valuable magic cards by using materials that have a certain degree of the same origin.

"I can make them, or I can not make them. I want to look at the mural again."

Lan Qi replied very passively.

"Then I won't wait for you. I'm going to make cards here next. You can watch from the side, and how much you can understand depends on your comprehension."

Karen said to Lan Qi like a kind upperclassman.

On the surface, her attitude was very friendly, but in reality, she still held a grudge against Lan Qi and couldn't wait to find an opportunity to humiliate him severely.

The extent of a card maker's observation results is most directly seen in the cards they make.

There are scholars and reporters waiting outside now, and the stakes have already been set for Lan Qi.

And with Lan Qi's level of magic engineering illiteracy in the conversation just now, how could Loren have the nerve to say he was very good?

Karen only felt it was ridiculous.

When she makes a good card next, and then sees what kind of card Lan Qi made, she can show him her true colors.

"Okay."

Lan Qi crossed his arms and sat on the stone steps piled up like boxes not far away, watching Karen.

He wasn't in a hurry to make cards because he really felt confused about the principles of the magic engineering formulas on the primordial stone tablet.

Also, he had never made wind-attribute magic cards, and his compatibility with them was extremely poor. It would be a great blessing if using the stone tablet materials here didn't result in an explosion.

But watching Karen make cards now is meaningful.

There are only so many platinum-level card makers in the southeastern region of the Southern Continent.

And platinum-level card maker exams often require three or more platinum-level card makers as examiners.

The Yaroran Kingdom and the Hutton Kingdom belong to the same examination area. When the Southern Continent Card Maker Association assigns examiners for the platinum-level card maker exam, according to the principle of proximity, Lan Qi is very likely to fill the vacancy of Duke Micaiah and participate in the examination.

Karen will definitely participate in the platinum-level card maker exam in the future, making her a very suitable candidate.

Lan Qi is now treating this as a rehearsal for the work of a proctor.

Promoting a friend's book~

(End of this chapter)