The ceremony began.

In the depths of the temple, a gap opened in the translucent light罩 (zhào – cover) of the barrier. Lan Qi, carrying his toolbox, walked in and gazed up at the divine statue.

His expression was calm.

But there was no disrespect towards the gods.

He simply regarded the statue before him as a work of art, without giving it much thought.

Lan Qi took a step closer and, under the watchful eyes of the assembled orcs, began his work.

As Lan Qi entered the barrier, Sebastian, the branch manager of the Flourishing World Commerce Association, stood next to High Lord Argom, watching Lan Qi with a slightly puzzled expression, and leaned closer to High Lord Argom.

"Mr. Argom, forgive my bluntness, but I have never heard of this Mr. Luoqi in the Porrent Empire. Are you sure it's okay to let him do this?"

Sebastian whispered to High Lord Argom.

"It's fine. Her Majesty Queen Ke'xia personally guaranteed his abilities."

High Lord Argom hesitated slightly, but suppressed the worry stirred up by Sebastian and focused on the direction of the statue.

"Alright."

A glint of gloom flashed in Sebastian's eyes, but it quickly disappeared, and he chose to say no more.

He really didn't know why such a craftsman had suddenly emerged from the Porrent Empire.

Without any news or military escort, he had arrived in Small Stone City quickly and secretly, leaving him unsure how to handle the situation.

After thinking about it, Sebastian decided that he didn't need to interfere rashly.

If the man failed, the orcs would naturally deal with him.

But if he really had some ability, he would have to notify the adults on the vampire side.

"Why hasn't Mr. Sebastian heard of him either?"

"Right, and as a royal craftsman, he wasn't escorted here by the Porrent Empire's army. Is that really reasonable?"

The surrounding bear orcs gathered with different emotions, and the bear orc priests exchanged glances.

"Ahem."

After High Lord Argom's light cough, the priests came back to their senses, stopped their chatter, and focused on reinforcing the barrier.

In front of the statue.

Lan Qi carefully examined the overall condition of the statue, identifying the parts that needed repair.

He gently cleaned the dust and wear on the surface of the statue with a brush, each touch extremely light.

Then, he used a carving knife and the newly mixed magic crystal sand to meticulously repair and polish the damaged parts. His technique was both steady and powerful, and his control of magic power was natural, as if repairing the statue was no pressure at all.

The bear-orc priests chanted prayers from time to time, reinforcing Lan Qi's protective barrier and praying that the God of Rock and Protection would grant them luck.

At this moment, Lan Qi didn't look like a powerful craftsman.

Instead, he seemed more like a skilled housewife preparing dinner in front of the stove.

Even without much thought, his hands could easily react and know exactly what to do next.

The bear orcs' expressions began to change.

They witnessed Lan Qi's calm and steady craftsmanship, his attention to and respect for every detail.

Lan Qi's every move gradually dispelled the doubts of the orc priests.

As Lan Qi gradually repaired it, the statue began to visibly regain its former glory.

The damaged parts disappeared, and the divine radiance of the 神代 (Shén Dài – Age of Gods) seemed to reappear on the entire statue.

The expressions of the orc priests in the temple began to change.

They witnessed Lan Qi's craftsmanship, his attention to and respect for every detail, and his focus and reverence for the repair work.

In a corner of the temple, Xi Gelei also exchanged glances with the temple guard beside her, seeing the surprise in the bear orc's eyes.

"Did you bring him?"

The guard whispered, covering his mouth to ask Xi Gelei.

He had more respect for this little one.

Xi Gelei didn't answer, but looked again at Lan Qi in front of the statue.

The way Lan Qi worked at this moment completely refreshed her understanding of him.

He really wasn't just a pretty face.

She saw Lan Qi as if he was shining.

Not bad.

That's what Xi Gelei's eyes seemed to say.

Seeing that Lan Qi wouldn't be beaten, she was relieved and turned to leave the temple.

In this attire, she was quite an eyesore in the temple, and she had promised Lan Qi not to talk nonsense, so she wouldn't say a word in the temple.

Leaving the temple to get some fresh air and waiting for him outside was more comfortable for her.

Time in the temple passed by, minute by minute.

"I didn't expect that the Porrent Empire still has such a master craftsman in this era."

High Lord Argom said, looking at the God of Rock and Protection statue, his voice trembling slightly, and glanced excitedly at Sebastian, the branch manager beside him.

He had only seen such majesty in the statue when he was a child, and even under the hands of this craftsman, it would become even more dazzling.

"Indeed."

A barely perceptible look of horror flashed in Sebastian's eyes. He didn't understand where Queen Ke'xia had found such a craftsman, and why he didn't know about it.

But his worries and dissatisfaction were deeply hidden under his skilled acting, his eyes wandering between Lan Qi and the surrounding orcs' celebrations.

That's not right...

Since this guy came secretly with light luggage, maybe his identity is fake, just acting out a scene with Queen Ke'xia.

His temperament and skill also show that he is unlikely to be of low status.

For a moment, Sebastian couldn't figure out who the real identity of this Luoqi craftsman might be among the nobles of the Porrent Empire.

But it shouldn't be too high of a position, and it doesn't matter who it is.

Daring to run out like this is his biggest mistake.

In the orc city-state, he is protected by a seventh-order high lord, but once he leaves the city-state, the vampires will be the true masters of the eternal night snowfield, and any lower-level beings will only be their feast.

Sebastian remained motionless, perfectly matching the smiles of the surrounding orcs.

Once the other party leaves, he will quietly notify Earl Gregory, and everything will be left to the vampire adults to solve on their own. He will also receive great credit.

……

Until a little bit of light gradually appeared outside the corridor of the temple.

At the same time, the priests in the temple sounded the celebration horns.

When Lan Qi successfully completed the repair, the entire temple erupted with the excited cheers of the bear orcs.

Every line and纹理 (wén lǐ – grain) on the statue had been meticulously restored by Lan Qi.

The damaged parts were cleverly reshaped, and even the divine-era characters that had become blurred and untraceable many years ago were replenished and re-engraved by Lan Qi.

The God of Rock and Protection statue was tall and majestic, with a solemn posture. His left hand was placed on his chest, as solid and unshakeable as rock. The statue's face showed a kind expression, as if silently guarding the vows and land of his believers.

[God of Rock and Protection Statue]

[Type: Artwork]

[Grade: Sacred]

[Tier: 1]

[Those who appreciate this statue will recover a small amount of spirit and stamina, and their faith in the God of Rock and Protection will increase slightly, and they may gain a weak understanding of earth-attribute magic.]

(End of this chapter)