Card Gamble

The condensation of a Spirit Jade marked the birth of a Card Master.

After more than a decade of accumulated meditation, Su Li had finally become a Bronze Card Master.

A Card Master's cultivation was still the process of spiritual power growing from weak to strong.

The Bronze Spirit Jade in Su Li's mind would gradually take on a silver hue during cultivation. Once the Bronze Spirit Jade completely turned silver, he would advance to become a Silver Tier Card Master.

The Card Master realm was highly mysterious to Card Apprentices, but Su Li had heard that Silver Tier Card Masters would develop other new abilities.

"This kind of enhancement is far too shocking." Su Li leaned against the bed, idly playing with Su Miaohan's card as he began to think.

Among Card Masters, there was indeed a profession known as an "Enhancer," regarded as the aristocracy of Card Masters.

Such people were born with specialized abilities. They could communicate with cards, receive vague guidance, and dramatically enhance cards.

But Su Li's method of enhancement was utterly absurd. He could directly obtain information on how to enhance cards and even travel through the Card World.

If he did not want to be captured for brutal brain research, Su Li felt that he had no choice but to become an Enhancer and use that identity to conceal his miraculous ability.

Having found a solution, Su Li began searching extensively for information on Enhancers.

The information online was limited and fragmented, but he gradually relaxed. His ability could completely be concealed as an Enhancer's power.

The first thing a Card Apprentice had to do after advancing to Card Master was, without question, use a card!

Su Li was somewhat excited as well. The Bronze Spirit Jade in his mind trembled slightly, and his spiritual power connected with the Bronze card in his hand, which immediately emitted a faint glow.

The card flew from his hand and transformed into a black-haired girl.

Her cascading hair was like black jade, and dark energy flickered around her, making Su Miaohan seem somewhat cold and distant. She wore a black baseball cap that concealed her beautiful eyes.

Looking at that familiar hat, Su Li fell into thought. What exactly was going on with the Card World?

After he enhanced it according to the information, the Card World underwent a certain degree of evolution, only to stop at a particular moment. Su Miaohan clearly possessed emotions just like a human in the real world, and his appearance had changed her tremendously.

In the end, he could only attribute it to the mysteries of the world. The appearance of cards, invasions from other dimensions—this was a world where even imagination fell short.

A white T-shirt beneath a denim jacket, fitted jeans, and a pair of black Martin boots made Su Miaohan look exceptionally capable.

Perhaps because she feared damaging them, Su Li had seen Su Miaohan carefully preserve that sportswear set during the Card World's evolution. She normally did not wear it.

Characters summoned by cards were naturally not real people. They were formed from card energy, yet they were incredibly lifelike, almost no different from real people.

A bold idea suddenly surfaced in Su Li's mind, but people should not—at the very least, they definitely should not.

In fact, although characters summoned by cards were not the original person, they still retained some awareness and would obey a Card Master's "proper" commands.

For example, Su Miaohan was a combat-type character card. Su Li could command her to fight or even control her in battle, as they were connected by mind.

But if he asked her to serve tea or pour water, she would show some resistance. If his requests became too unreasonable, such as asking her to do unspeakable, even 404-worthy things, the connection between the card and Su Li might directly sever.

Such a severance was almost irreversible. Su Li would permanently lose the right to use that card.

A Card Master needed to establish a connection with their cards, generally by nurturing them with spiritual power. The longer this lasted, the deeper the connection became, and the more of the card's power could be unleashed.

Su Li discovered that his connection with this card was very deep. Perhaps it was because he had enhanced it himself?

With a thought, Su Miaohan turned into a rain of light, becoming a card once more and returning to Su Li's hand.

Using cards consumed spiritual power. For a character card like Shadow Sting, subsequent control and the character's skill usage also consumed spiritual power. A Card Master was essentially a card's energy source.

"It doesn't consume much." Su Li had merely summoned her this time, but he had a feeling that his Spirit Jade was enough to support Su Miaohan through an intense battle.

Suddenly, his pupils lit up, and Su Miaohan's image appeared on the wall again.

This card can be enhanced. The choices are as follows:

① A killing intent beneath the shadows, an innate assassin. After receiving the support of Ability School, Su Miaohan still needs a sufficiently sharp dagger.

② Assassins travel alone, but who could refuse a suitable companion?

③ If you possess enough cards, perhaps a miracle will be born.

The information flooded into his mind. This time, there were three choices.

"More cards are needed..." Su Li fell silent.

As a qualified poor man, Su Li, like Su Miaohan, had no choice but to place his hopes on a card school. (This school was not that kind of school. This was a high-martial world, so please do not project reality onto it!)

Compulsory Card Master education lasted until the end of senior year. After taking the college entrance examination, students could enter the various Card Master universities established by the Card Master Alliance.

Strictly speaking, the academies were tools created by the Alliance to cultivate Card Masters against other dimensions as a precautionary measure. But regardless of their purpose, they were unquestionably a good thing for commoners like Su Li.

Enhancers could earn generous rewards, but before that, Su Li needed to cram all kinds of information about Enhancers to prevent his miraculous ability from being exposed. Such things could not be found online, but the Third High School library would have quite a bit of material.

At the same time, a young Card Master who had just turned eighteen would receive support from Third High School, including a Bronze card as a reward.

As a newly advanced Card Master, Su Li's combat power was actually not weak. He was Bronze Rank Ten, Shadow Sting was at the third rank, and his connection with Su Li was extremely deep, so the card's power would not be restricted.

But he was still a fledgling Card Master. True Card Masters possessed a mature deck, with defense, offense, summons, fields, and more intertwined and combined to bring every card's power to its fullest.

By now, dawn had arrived, and morning light streamed through the window.

Meditation had long replaced sleep, not to mention that Su Li had broken through to the Card Master realm. He was brimming with energy.

Su Li left home, walking as swiftly as the wind. After becoming a Card Master, the birth of his Spirit Jade had also strengthened his physique.

He quietly entered Third High School. After entering senior year, the Card Master culture courses had ended, and the school gave Card Apprentices ample free time to strive for the Card Master realm.

The power of the card known as [Psychic Surge] enveloped all of Third High School at all times, increasing meditation efficiency by thirty percent.

After greeting a few acquaintances, Su Li did not stop. Instead, he headed toward Card Master's Tower. He wanted to certify as a Card Master, then draw a card for free.

Card Master certification was simple. One only needed to fully shake their Spirit Jade and pass the examination.

A young Card Master who had graduated and come to teach at Liang City No. 3 High School conducted Su Li's examination.

"Good, very good." The young Card Master revealed a look of surprise. This spiritual energy was strong, unlike that of someone who had just advanced, but he did not dwell on it and continued.

"Come with me."

Su Li followed him to a room. Mysterious patterns were carved on its door, part of some ancient ritual and used here as decoration.

I wonder which other-dimensional world's culture this comes from. Su Li thought silently. Card Master civilization was constantly progressing as well, absorbing the essence of those other-dimensional cultures.

"Of the 1,344 senior Card Apprentices in the school, 520 have already advanced to Card Masters," the young Card Master said.

Becoming a Bronze Card Master was not difficult.

It had only been half a month, yet there were already so many? Su Li was surprised. It seemed his talent truly was poor. If he had not enhanced [Destitute Girl], he would have needed at least another two months to advance. By then, it would have been too late.

"The cards are drawn at random. We have prepared 1,344 cards in total. One is a Silver Tier card, while most of the rest are Bronze cards.

"Of course, if your luck is bad, you may draw a White Card. But there will be no completely useless White Cards."

After saying that, the young Card Master drew a White Card.

[Open the Door]

The door opened automatically.

"I won't draw an Open the Door card, will I?!" Su Li was horrified.

Beyond the door was actually a stretch of black nothingness. At the young Card Master's signal, Su Li stepped inside. The scene changed, and he found himself beneath a brilliant starry sky, with cards streaking past him like meteors.

"So flashy..."

But it was pretty cool.

He prayed that he would not draw something like [Open the Door] or [Close the Door].

Su Li reached out and caught a card covered in white light, its patterns impossible to see.

He took several steps back and left the room.

The white light on the card in his hand faded, revealing a White Card.

Su Li's mouth twitched. Seeing this, the young Card Master comforted him.

"Don't be discouraged. You will have many more opportunities to obtain cards in the future."

Su Li nodded and flipped the card over.

Amid ice and snow, a little fox struggled onward against the wind and blizzard.

[Lost Little Fox]

Rank: White

Type: Animal

Skill: None

Overview: A little fox separated from its parents, struggling onward through ice and snow

What happened to "there will be no completely useless cards"?

This was an even more useless card than [Destitute Girl].

That was Su Li's assessment, but as a qualified cheat user, he was not worried at all.

"Teacher, are you sure this card is useful?" Su Li still tried to argue his case.

The young Card Master fell silent. After a long while, he said, "There should be quite a few girls who like pets like this..."

Teacher, you sounded a little guilty.

Fortunately, Su Li did not care. After bidding farewell to the young Card Master, he strode out of Card Master's Tower.

The young Card Master watched his retreating figure and nodded slightly. Unfazed by favor or humiliation—there were not many youths with such character. He had encountered plenty of newly advanced Card Masters who drew trash cards and became frantic, begging, threatening, and hoping to exchange their cards.

"Stop!"

The moment Su Li stepped out of Card Master's Tower, someone shouted at him.

Following the voice with his gaze, Su Li saw who it was.

A classmate with whom he had once clashed.

Zhou Qing had certified as a Card Master earlier that day. When he saw Su Li enter Card Master's Tower to certify as a Card Master, he immediately rushed over to intercept him.

"Su Li, I challenge you! Let us have a duel between Card Masters, with one card from the loser as the price of defeat!"