Chapter 787 Lanqi's Second Run

The pain of death permeated Lanqi's entire body, his consciousness nearly fracturing.

Even though it was just a simulation in the spiritual world, he felt as if he had experienced a fierce battle, not only realistically experiencing a defeat that left no remains, but also the unforgettable emotions.

He staggered slightly as he stepped out of the Tiberius Mirror, unable to even stand properly.

White light filled the air, and Talia materialized instantly, supporting Lanqi so he wouldn't fall.

This was the central energy chamber, deep beneath the Purgatory Corridor Academy.

"Lanqi, are you alright?"

Talia regretted not stopping Lanqi from entering the Tiberius Mirror.

Any legendary artifact was probably not a good thing.

She had witnessed the entire process of Pope Saint Lant's defeat with her own eyes, including the shattering of his Imperishable Crystal Body, the desperate siege, being cut in half at the waist, and his corpse being dismembered for public display.

Now they were back in the Shadow World.

Talia immediately checked the Shadow World information.

[Mission Objective 1: Read the letter from old friend Kaliyera; go to the Inferno City of Pasquale in the Demon World & protect the little spark left by Kaliyera; comprehend the Tiberius Mirror. (Completed)]

[Mission Objective 2: Understand the state of mind of Black Sun, Lanclos: 19.53%. (Completed)]

[Mission Objective 3: All challengers survive until the 21-day time limit ends, with 5 days, 11 hours, and 09 minutes remaining.]

Seeing Lanqi's comprehension of the Black Sun increase sharply, Talia was alarmed.

One experience with the Tiberius Mirror had brought Lanqi much closer to the Black Sun, and even then it was only nineteen percent?

Talia looked at the cube-shaped magic mirror behind Lanqi, her heart filled with fear.

"I'm okay."

Lanqi's eyes still held the dazed look of someone who had just woken up.

He didn't try to act tough, but instead used Talia's support to sit on the steps in front of the Tiberius Mirror.

"Lanqi, do you want to continue looking into the Tiberius Mirror?"

Even though Talia probably knew she couldn't persuade Lanqi to stop, her concern made her say it.

It wasn't just an illusion, but a projection of the future that Lanqi had experienced almost firsthand.

She also sat down next to Lanqi.

"Do we ever have the option to stop?"

Lanqi turned his head and asked Talia.

"Indeed..."

Talia understood that every time she hesitated, Lanqi would be resolute, and when Lanqi hesitated, she would be resolute.

So, from the very beginning, when they participated in the game at Golden Bee Amusement Park, the two of them never stopped as if they were competing, and they would always see things through together, no matter what they encountered.

"Then let's finish what we started, but if you're in a bad mood, please don't ignore me, okay?"

Talia placed her hand on the back of Lanqi's hand, wanting to give his cold hand a little warmth.

She was very worried when she saw Lanqi's appearance at the end of her time in the Tiberius Mirror.

"Shifu, is that something you would say?"

Lanqi stared at Talia in surprise and asked her.

How did Shifu become like a little girl?

Talia seemed to realize that touching Lanqi was inappropriate, and she withdrew her hand as if she had been shocked.

...

A little while later.

"Heh, the more you want me to scold you, the less I will, so you can see my gentle side."

Talia met Lanqi's gaze frankly and smiled brightly at him.

She didn't seem to be hiding anything.

Iphathia had said that only a contrasting image could make a man never forget you.

"..."

Lanqi felt that he had to have a good talk with Iphathia after returning to the real world.

What strange things had she been teaching her sister?

Now Lanqi didn't even dare to tell Hyperion that he had found Miss Iphathia, for fear that Iphathia would say "Brother" upon meeting them, making it impossible for the mother and daughter to get along in the future.

"Don't you think that your idea of wanting to talk to Iphathia is very much like a brother's attitude towards his sister?"

Talia suddenly asked, sitting next to him.

She could actually hear Lanqi's thoughts clearly.

"?"

Lanqi listened to Talia's rare complaint, his expression full of question marks.

"Actually, it's pretty good for her to be your younger sister. Just accept it."

Talia said to herself in a calm tone, without any hint of encouragement.

"No, next time we meet, I must make the seniority issue clear to Miss Iphathia."

Lanqi said seriously.

"Iphathia, do you think this glass of water will come to Brother's hand by itself?"

Talia imitated Lanqi's tone, voicing him.

She thought that Lanqi would be like this when teaching about seniority.

"Who would talk to a classmate's mother like that?"

Lanqi was amused by Talia and said, covering his face.

He wanted to raise Iphathia's seniority, not lower it.

After the two chatted briefly, the look on Lanqi's face recovered a lot.

The rapid simulation in the Tiberius Mirror had lasted a few days, while only about two hours had passed outside the mirror.

On one side of the energy center room of the Purgatory Corridor Academy, a small figure noticed the change in the cube mirror, walked halfway around, and saw Lanqi and the fake Kaliyera sitting on the steps.

"You're back."

Tamisha looked at Lanqi from afar and welcomed him.

Although she might have been welcoming him, it sounded like a statement because she had no tone.

Originally, she didn't intend to speak, but seeing that the Phantasm was in a very bad state after coming out of the six-sided cube magic mirror, as if he had died once, she was a little worried.

She didn't want this Phantasm, whom she had finally saved, to die.

Lanqi signaled to Talia with his eyes that he was going to talk to Tamisha, and Talia disappeared into pure white light, understandingly.

He stood up from the steps and walked to Tamisha's side.

"Tamisha, sorry to keep you waiting."

Lanqi squatted down and said to Tamisha at eye level.

"Do you want to eat something? I saved a lot for you."

Tamisha pointed to the four-layer lunch box placed aside.

She only ate one box herself, and the other two boxes were the lunch she had left for the Phantasm.

"No need, I was already very full in the corridor, thanks to your care, I came back to life."

Lanqi said to Tamisha with a smile.

"..."

Tamisha was slightly stunned. She rarely received such words of thanks and didn't know how to respond.

"Then I'll feed you when you're hungry. You have to eat well, or you'll fall again."

She could only say that.

"Then you also promise me that I still have to stay here for a while, and you have to eat well at noon, otherwise your teaching won't be convincing, and I won't want to eat well either."

Lanqi replied to her.

He pointed to the lunch box, meaning that Tamisha might need to eat another box to fill her stomach at noon.

"Okay."

Tamisha nodded.

After the words fell.

Lanqi turned and walked towards the abyss-like deep purple mirror magic device behind him.

"Lanqi, you've improved your relationship with her. She's even willing to face you in her true form."

Talia said in Lanqi's heart.

Lanqi's mentality was that good. After experiencing such a realistic experience, he could still speak softly to a child.

He was completely different from those adults who showed their anger to children when they were in a bad mood.

It seemed that he was indeed a good teacher and would be a good father in the future.

"Tamisha is a good child, with both her father's tenacity and her mother's gentleness."

Lanqi said regretfully.

Whenever he saw Tamisha, he would think of that outwardly aloof and handsome but actually silly Mist Lord and the Demon Clan's talented woman, Maya Lord, who was constantly hiding herself but also working hard.

"I also think Tamisha is very cute."

Talia agreed.

Tamisha was simply a little Talia.

"Pfft."

Lanqi almost laughed out loud.

Unless Talia could also turn into a little gray cat, he might admit Talia's statement.

"You're dreaming! I'd rather die in this life, starve to death outside the Cat Boss Restaurant, than turn into a little gray cat!"

Talia warned Lanqi.

Lanqi had had such thoughts more than once, but she would never turn into a little gray cat for Lanqi to pet!
In a short while, Lanqi walked back to the Tiberius Mirror on the steps.

The air at the edge of the mirror rippled slightly due to the power of the void, and magic began to dance gently on the calm surface of the mirror.

Lanqi raised his hand and touched the mirror surface. He moved forward slightly, and his figure stepped into the mirror surface, merging into the void surrounding the deep purple light. Then, Lanqi once again felt himself falling rapidly from the sea of stars, with flashes of light and color intertwined from time to time.

Until the speed of the fall began to slow down, gravity pressed sharply on him, and a dazzling white light burst forth from the exit, rushing towards him in an instant.

Everything transformed into understandable character information that flooded into his mind.

[Upside-Down Future Illusion]

[Successfully Activated]

[Remaining Uses: 1]

[Name: Lanclos Saint Anastasius]

[Current Status: Ninth Order]

[Attribute: Seal/Light]

[Spells: Undying Eternal Punishment, Chimeric Edict, Radiance Corona, Eternal Destruction, Imperishable Crystal Body... Last Refuge.]

[Accessories: Honing Empire Test Site Military Card, Loser's Broken Blade, Nameless Ring, Traveler's Pocket Watch, Witch's Warm Companionship, Glatt Stone Badge... Saint Lant Silver Mask.]

[Character Attributes Recorded]

[Divination Result: Death is Imminent]

...

[Departure Point: Demon World, Inferno City of Pasquale, Suburbs, Purgatory Corridor Academy]

[Remaining Lifespan: 5 days 11 hours 06 minutes]

After this text flooded into his mind.

Lanqi's dizziness was not as strong as the first time.

He calmly closed his eyes and felt the surroundings.

When he opened his eyes again, he was already sitting in the principal's office of the Purgatory Corridor Academy.

The biting cold wind outside the window, carrying scattered snowflakes, was still the same as before, rising wantonly in the sky of Pasquale in the Demon World, and the pale white mixed with golden afternoon sun shone into the principal's office.

It looked like it was noon in Inferno City.

And on the nearby window glass, there was still the face wearing a silver-white mask reflected. The mask was welded onto his face like a brand, and his clear emerald green eyes could be seen clearly through the mask.

Just like before, after entering the [Tiberius Mirror], he returned to the principal's office.

In the next second, semi-transparent demonic characters began to appear in his vision—

[Saint Lant Pontifical State, December 25, 614.]

[...]

[You felt the approach of your destiny in the Purgatory Corridor Academy and woke up.]

[These are probably the last few days, and your life is about to come to an end.]

[You just discovered through a precognitive dream that the current peace is just an illusion. The Blood Clan has not repented in the slightest. They are plotting a greater conspiracy in the Honing Empire, all just to wait for your death, so they can begin their counterattack. And it seems they have also divined all of this, knowing roughly when you will die and when you will begin to weaken.]

[You finally understand with what kind of heart Kaliyera died.]

[Before you, she had already seen everything in a precognitive dream.]

[But you still don't understand why she saw everything but didn't tell you directly, but rather let you choose whether to uncover the truth yourself.]

[Could it be that there is something you haven't seen?]

[You can't help but wonder, but you have already made up your mind that in this dream, you will uncover all the mysteries.]

When Lanqi saw this, he found that the information had stopped, and four options appeared.

[You will choose next:]

[A. Undying Eternal Punishment]

[B. Go to Demon King City]

[C. Return to the Pontifical State]

[D. Personally Intervene]

Lanqi placed his hands on the desk, interlaced his fingers, and looked at the similarities and differences this time.

This simulation started based on the premise that Lanclos already had the experience of the first simulation, and the information held had also changed.

Compared to the last simulation, this time was two hours later, and the initial time point came to noon.

This shows that the Tiberius Mirror's simulation refers to the real time when the Tiberius Mirror is activated.

When reality became noon, the simulated start time inside the Tiberius Mirror also became noon.

And those two hours also made Lanclos no longer in the limit state of the ninth order, but dropped a little bit.

"The only change in the options is that the original first option, 'Continue to Stay,' has been eliminated, because Lanclos knew about the turmoil in the southern Honing Empire and could no longer sit still."

Lanqi murmured.

The key is that the new choice that replaced the "Continue to Stay" option was "Undying Eternal Punishment."

...

Among the spells mastered by Black Sun Lanclos, the most core one was an epic spell called [Undying Eternal Punishment].

Its effect is to sacrifice a certain amount of one's own life and mana to continuously lock the target's life state. The spell cannot be actively dispelled. Sealing the target from excessive attacks will weaken the sealing effect. Using wolf blood or demon blood as a medium can reduce the cost of life or mana.

"This spell doesn't say that it can't be used on oneself... so the meaning of the first option is to immediately use Undying Eternal Punishment on oneself, lock one's life state, and prevent oneself from continuing to weaken?"

Talia understood the meaning of this option.

As long as he used Undying Eternal Punishment on himself, he could avoid falling to the eighth order when he arrived in Blood Moon City, thereby maintaining his near-peak state. At least until his lifespan ran out, he would be a ninth order!
"Then the answer is obvious."

Lanqi was familiar with it after the first time. This time, he hardly needed to consider the options of the Tiberius Mirror and was about to make a choice. His hand was already on the first option on the light curtain in front of him.

"Wait, Lanqi!"

Talia stopped Lanqi.

"What's wrong?"

Lanqi didn't seem to want to change his mind, he just asked Talia.

"Have you ever thought about it? Lanclos actually knew that this method could lock his state before he died, but without knowing the Blood Clan's conspiracy, that is, in the situation of the first simulation, he didn't consider using Undying Eternal Punishment in this way at all. Do you feel that once you use Undying Eternal Punishment on yourself, you may pay a very terrifying price, and you still don't know what this price is?"

Talia thought Lanclos couldn't be stupid.

If Undying Eternal Punishment was really that easy to use, Lanclos should have used it before setting off, even if he didn't know what other dangers there were.

And this was the Tiberius Mirror, a legendary demonic masterpiece that transcended common sense.

Even the price may be simulated realistically for you.

At that time, you may face some fears that are not even worth mentioning compared to death.

"No matter what the price, I believe that Lanclos, having reached this point, would not hesitate even if he knew what was going to happen."

Lanqi sighed and said to Talia with a helpless smile.

There was no trace of fear in his eyes.

But it wasn't bravery and fearlessness.

It was a kind of persistence.

"Okay, then no matter what the price, I'll face it with you."

Talia hesitated for a moment and made up her mind.

Anyway, with her accompanying Lanqi, even if they had to face the price, the two of them would bear it together.

"Thank you, Shifu."

Lanqi knew that Talia could have stayed outside and not come with him into the Tiberius Mirror to take risks, but she still followed him in again without even thinking about it.

He was very grateful to Talia.

Then, he confirmed Undying Eternal Punishment.

In an instant, the office in front of him began to be filled with monstrous black mist magic.

The originally stable barrier magic on the office walls began to fluctuate, as if it was being pulled by a mysterious rule.

The lights suddenly became dimmer.

Lanqi and Talia only saw that the great magic power gathered in the air, emitting a similar fluctuation to the Black Sun Lord, but it was even more terrifying, more like the supreme demonic power of the Demon World.

...

The black mist magic gathered and weaved, even the air began to tremble, until it finally enveloped Lanqi, forming a black poisonous snake around him. Finally, the swirling black mist suddenly shrank and rushed into his face.

Throughout the entire process, he was protected by an invisible force, and the surrounding space formed an isolated area.

When the black mist engraved runes fell on Lanqi's left cheek, the surrounding magic fluctuations gradually subsided, the light dissipated, and everything returned to normal.

[You don't know what the consequences will be of using Undying Eternal Punishment on yourself.]

[But you used it resolutely.]

[Because you know that only in this way can you maintain your state and defeat the few progenitors in Blood Moon City.]

The demonic text of the Tiberius Mirror reappeared.

[You will go to next:]

[A. Nicalis]

[B. Saint Trick]

[C. Hansabek]

[D. Personally Intervene]

[Remaining Lifespan: 5 days 11 hours 02 minutes]

The new choices also came out.

"Lanqi, are you okay?"

Talia quickly asked Lanqi.

Now she couldn't check Lanqi's body and couldn't help him confirm his own condition.

"I feel like nothing has changed, except that my left cheek feels like it's been branded with a stinging iron."

Lanqi briefly took off his mask, looked at himself who looked more like a demon in the reflection, and answered Talia.

Also, at this moment, he no longer saw any prompts that he was weakening.

He put the mask back on his face, covering the violent runes that were chiseled on his cheek like a black centipede. At this moment, he felt his own unwithering forbidden power.

The real invincible mode had begun.

(End of this chapter)