Tianyi Group had clearly put a great deal of thought into this theme park.
In this world, Life Card theme parks were either related to dueling or to the Soul Card World.
Tianyi Life Card Theme Park belonged to the former.
Rather than a park, it was more like a massive Life Card Duel Experience Center.
After all, the park's centerpiece was Magic City's largest Life Card merchandise store.
The development of the Life Card system did not merely mean the development of its dueling system; it also included all sorts of related industries and merchandise.
Once a Soul Card Master gained a certain degree of fame and accumulated enough fans through dueling competitions, specialized companies would approach them to sign contracts and release a series of products related to them.
For example, their deck could be made into physical card packs for sale, with ten random cards per pack and all kinds of strange card-finishing techniques used to distinguish rarity.
PR Gold Explosion, SPR Foil Surface Flat Explosion, NPR Flat Explosion, SER Silver Shatter, UTR Embossed 3D, GHR Ghost Foil, 20SER Red-Lettered Ultra Silver Shatter (Red Shatter), CR Collector's Rare, USR Shattered Surface Foil.
Part of the revenue from these card packs would be paid to the Soul Card Master as licensing fees.
Card packs were also the largest sector of the merchandise industry.
For instance, right now.
While waiting for the finals, tourists drawn in by the Heaven's Chosen Cup had come to the merchandise store to buy famous card packs. Envious cries occasionally rang out from within; someone had clearly pulled a high-rarity card.
With cards, naturally, decks could be built. Though ordinary people could not use a Duel Instrument like Soul Card Masters to experience effects cranked to the max, as if they were truly present in the duel, they could still play cards across a tabletop. Of course, if they truly wanted a Soul Card Master's dueling experience, they could visit the park's Experience Center and use computer holographic projections.
There was still some time before the finals duel, so Shen Sui entered the Soul Card Shop.
Though he had looked into it online, he was still curious which card packs were the most popular among fans.
The best-selling packs were You Wenqi's Zodiac God Series, followed by Dongye Youzai's Swordsman Series.
Shen Sui also spotted merchandise for T.S., the current world number one. After flipping through the illustrated card catalog, he saw that T.S. seemed to use a deck based on the Native American mythology system.
Tsk. That was delicate. That was hellish.
Shen Sui had no intention of licensing his deck, and Soul Card Masters had the right to refuse as well.
Take Tan Song's Sword Immortal Deck, which Life Card enthusiasts had always desperately wanted. It had never been developed into card packs because Tan Song had always believed that a Soul Card Master's deck should retain an air of mystery, so he had refused to cooperate.
"Sir, what kind of card pack are you looking to buy? We have everything here." Seeing Shen Sui hesitate before the counter for so long, the clerk approached with a smile.
Shen Sui certainly did not intend to waste money on Life Card merchandise. He could barely afford to raise his own Life Cards as it was.
"Nothing I want," Shen Sui said casually.
"Do you have any particular requirements?"
Shen Sui stared at the wall of colorful card packs and pondered for a long time. Then, as if possessed, he said, "Boring. There isn't even a single waifu card."
"You want waifu cards? We do, we do." The clerk swiftly took an exquisitely packaged card pack from the shelf and handed it to Shen Sui. "This is a pack from the Seventh-Order Soul Card Master Bai Ye. Her deck is full of adorable waifu cards~!"
The card pack featured a valiant-looking girl. A few colorful scales covered her cheeks, and the horns on her head were especially conspicuous.
Of course, the most eye-catching thing was the huge dragon tail behind her.
She was a dragon girl.
Damn it! A Dragon Girl Follower Card! Shen Sui was jealous from the bottom of his heart.
Dragon, waifu card, flat chest.
The mascot girl's traits were exactly Shen Sui's type.
The only slight regret was that she looked too much like a human.
Shen Sui forcibly restrained his desire and ultimately resisted the temptation of the card pack.
Dragons existed on the Dawn Continent too. He could completely farm a dragon girl follower card of his own.
That's right! After going back, he absolutely had to push Alice harder! Shen Sui became even more determined.
He had to make her bring him back a dragon maid.
Six in the evening.
After enjoying a lavish meal provided by the organizers, Shen Sui followed the staff into the finals hall.
The Heaven's Chosen Cup finals were still being held in the park lounge that had hosted the quarterfinals and semifinals, but it had now been completely transformed.
Bright yet gentle lighting illuminated the venue with exceptional clarity, ensuring that both the audience and the livestream cameras could clearly see everything happening on the field from any angle.
The equipment looked brand-new, while a group of neatly dressed staff moved between the various machines.
The venue had no extravagant decorations or gaudy lighting, yet it exuded an approachable feeling.
The large number of Life Card Duel events supported many event-organizing companies, which helped organizers handle everything required to host a competition.
Judging from how the Heaven's Chosen Cup had been run, this event company was highly professional.
Outside the venue, a sea of people had already gathered.
After all, the Heaven's Chosen Cup did not charge admission. Who would not be happy to enjoy something for free?
Neither in his previous life nor this one had Shen Sui ever encountered such a huge scene.
But he did not lose his nerve. Having already resolved to reach the pinnacle of dueling in this world, he knew full well that compared to the scenes he would face in the future, this was nothing more than a small occasion.
"You've got a good mindset, young man." Yuan Youxin had arrived at the venue slightly earlier than Shen Sui. He still looked thoroughly dispirited. "I've competed in so many tournaments, but among newcomers reaching the finals for the first time, few are as calm as you."
"A good mindset is a required lesson for duelists," Shen Sui said.
Otherwise, he would have long since been angered to death by that bunch playing Tearlaments at the casino.
"I hope you'll still have such a good mindset when you lose."
"Don't worry. I won't lose."
Yuan Youxin smiled and looked at Shen Sui. "Sure enough, every newcomer who has just entered Life Card dueling is this ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. The waters of Life Card dueling run deeper than you imagine. Those geniuses, those children born into prominent families—they stand before us like mountains, one after another, stretching on without end. Every time you think you've reached the summit, you look up and see an even higher peak. There is no end to this mountain range."
"As long as it's a mountain, it has a summit," Shen Sui said. "And as long as there is a summit, I can climb to the end. From the moment I picked up a Duel Instrument and obtained a Soul Card, I made up my mind. I had to climb to the top and see it for myself. If I have the chance to climb, should I spend every day wandering at the foot of the mountain, wallowing in self-pity, gazing up at the peaks without taking a single step?"
"Young people shouldn't be so hot-blooded," Yuan Youxin said. He had not expected Shen Sui to call him out to his face.
"If you're not hot-blooded, can you still be called young?" Shen Sui had no idea why Yuan Youxin had suddenly become angry. Feeling baffled, he casually threw back the line and responded tit for tat, displaying the sarcastic skills he had honed in Zu'an in his previous life. "Anyway, if I had to spend my whole life stomping amateurs in casual tournaments, I'd die of frustration."
"Good!" Yuan Youxin was somewhat enraged. Shen Sui's words had indeed struck his sore spot. "It seems you still don't understand. For Soul Card Masters, the gap between even a single rank is like a chasm and an insurmountable gulf! Then today, I'll show you what an unconquerable mountain truly is!"
"More talk is pointless! Duel!" Shen Sui activated his Duel Instrument.
There are three more duel chapters. Update at noon.
Before you continue