In the rear garden of Dragon Mountain Imperial City, beside a frozen lake, a glass conservatory made from huge slabs of magical glass glittered beneath the sun. The weather was fine today. A flock of black swans had gathered by the lake, chasing several palace maids and snatching food from the little buckets hanging from their hands.
Dressed in casual black clothes, Lin Qi sat comfortably within the conservatory. Dozens of pots containing rare black roses stood around him. Their black petals set off his black robe, black hair, and eyes as deep as night, creating the illusion that Lin Qi himself was a dangerous black hole that would devour everything around him.
Idly turning an exquisite carved porcelain teacup in his hand, Lin Qi looked at Kars Chenxi seated opposite him, a strange half-smiling expression on his face.
This Kars Chenxi was no longer "Wan En Longshan"—the Kars Chenxi Lin Qi had once known. The moment Lin Qi had seen this Archbishop in the council hall, clad in crimson divine robes, crowned with a sacred diadem, and holding a refined-gold scepter, he had known that the pure and cheerful descendant of the Dawn God was gone. In place of his soul now dwelled a powerful divine soul.
"How discourteous of me." Setting his teacup on the small table beside him, Lin Qi smiled at Kars Chenxi. "You are the newly appointed Archbishop of the Dragon Mountain Empire diocese, yet I failed to return in time to welcome you to your post. That truly was discourteous."
Kars Chenxi narrowed his eyes at Lin Qi. A brilliant white glow flickered within his pupils, specks of white light streaking endlessly through them like a meteor shower. At the heart of that white radiance floated a tiny sharp sword. It was an ancient-looking