Bountiful Harvest

A Bronze card slowly formed over the corpse of the Face Willow King.

"Thank you for saving me."

Jiang Mingyue had a pleasant voice, but it was clear she rarely socialized, and her tone was somewhat stiff.

When Su Li pulled his gaze away from the Face Willow King's card, he found that Jiang Mingyue had already left. Only a blurred silhouette remained, vanishing into the forest's shadows.

She had not taken the Face Willow King card, apparently leaving it as payment for Su Li saving her.

[Face Willow King]

Tier: Bronze Tier Seven.

Type: Plant.

Skills:

① Wail: Emits a piercing cry that assaults the enemy's mind.

② Bloodsucking: The barbs on its willow branches absorb the blood of those they touch.

③ Regeneration: Its willow branches rapidly regenerate until they reach their maximum number.

④ Severed Yet Connected: After breaking, its willow branches can still be controlled for a short time.

Description: Am I human, or am I a tree?

Su Li was overjoyed. Bronze Tier Seven—it was worth a great deal!

He did not plan to keep this card for himself, either. It was far too unsettling. He could sell it to the Card Master Alliance and buy other cards.

"Ugh..." The silver-haired girl let out a pained groan.

After the Face Willow King died, the willow branches that had coiled around and bound the Card Masters vanished as well. Several people fell to the ground, all badly injured and severely drained of blood.

Jiang Mingyue had left directly, leaving these people for Su Li to deal with.

Su Li was not in great condition either. His Spirit Jade had dimmed, and he had little mental power left. It truly was not suitable for him to remain here, and the domain card was destined to remain beyond his reach. After some thought, he took out a card.

A Bronze Tier Two Human-Faced Willow Tree.

The barbs on its willow branches shrank back, then the branches wrapped around and bound the group once more.

"I only have two hands, you know." Su Li felt a little guilty as he headed toward the outskirts of the Forest of Blood. The dense roots of the Human-Faced Willow Tree surged forward, the entire tree following behind him, while the people entangled in its branches swayed back and forth.

Su Li felt like a human trafficker.

"Ahhh!" Suddenly, the silver-haired girl screamed. She had just woken from her daze, only to open her eyes and see that terrifying human face with its bizarre smile. She fainted again on the spot. She happened to be hanging right in front of the face.

Along the way, Su Li obtained another [Human-Faced Willow Tree].

At the entrance, Card Master Yan Mo lazily opened his eyes, and his face could not help twitching. A Bronze Lower Tier Human-Faced Willow Tree had captured so many Card Masters? Had the quality of Third High School's Card Master students fallen this low?

"Teacher, don't attack." One of the bound boys was suddenly placed on the ground.

It was Su Li. Mentally exhausted, he had hung himself from the tree as well.

He explained the entire situation, but Card Master Yan Mo seemed more focused on this unique method of transportation. In the end, he squeezed out a sentence. "As a reward for saving them, you may go to the Card Master's Tower and draw one random card."

"Thank you, Teacher." Su Li was grateful.

The silver-haired girl woke up, her lips parting but no words coming out. Could you let us down first? We're still hanging from the tree.

After handing the severely injured Card Masters over to Card Master Yan Mo, Su Li left in satisfaction.

Back in his rented room, Su Li began taking stock of this trip's gains.

Three Bronze Tier Two [Human-Faced Willow Tree] cards, one Bronze Tier Two [Blood Wolf] card, one Bronze Tier Five [Vampire Girl - Grandis] card, one Bronze Tier Seven [Face Willow King] card, and one unclaimed card draw.

It was a bountiful haul!

All of a sudden, Su Li felt that this cramped rental room was no longer worthy of him.

He planned to sell some of the cards, but before that, he could strengthen them first. That would make them more valuable!

He took out a [Human-Faced Willow Tree] card, and information appeared.

This card can be strengthened. Options are as follows:

① Bloodsucking, bloodsucking! Deep in the forest lurks a powerful Blood Wolf that has long been coveted!

② Fuse with [Human-Faced Willow Tree] to gain new power.

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

Very good. There was an option that required no resources.

Su Li began meditating to restore his mental power. He would wait until his Spirit Jade shone brightly once more before taking action.

When his meditation ended, Su Li was refreshed. The silver hue on his Spirit Jade had spread to thirteen percent, increasing by another point.

High-intensity battles, the expenditure and replenishment of mental power, and similar actions could all cause the Spirit Jade to grow to varying degrees.

Su Li then entered the Card World of [Human-Faced Willow Tree].

Having witnessed Jiang Mingyue get ambushed by a Human-Faced Willow Tree, Su Li did not begrudge the use of cards. He successively summoned White Fox, Su Miaohan, and Vampire Girl - Grandis.

This was a forest, dark and eerie, with a heavy stench of blood. It felt as though he had returned to the Forest of Blood.

Danger was present here as well. Su Li encountered several attacks, but ultimately dealt with them all. After searching for a day without finding the Blood Wolf, his Spirit Jade dimmed, forcing him to leave the Card World.

This was the first time he had failed to strengthen a card.

He was not discouraged. He continued meditating to recover his mental power, then ventured back into the Card World.

This world was different again. One day in the Card World equaled one day outside, while the world of White Fox was only one-third as fast as reality. There were variations between them.

In and out he went. The forest was a tangled maze, leaving him with no sense of direction.

A full three days passed before Su Li found that Blood Wolf. Grandis easily killed it, wrapped it in blood, and transported it before the Human-Faced Willow Tree.

"Heh heh heh!" The Human-Faced Willow Tree let out a piercing laugh. Its willow branches instantly wrapped tightly around the Blood Wolf, and blood flowed back through the branches as it was slowly absorbed.

From beginning to end, the Human-Faced Willow Tree never noticed Su Li. Such evil creatures were low in intelligence and possessed extreme aggression. If he had appeared directly, it would likely have attacked him at once.

Su Li returned from the Card World, and the card in his hand began to evolve.

After absorbing the Blood Wolf, the Human-Faced Willow Tree became increasingly sinister and horrifying. In the end, Su Li obtained a Bronze Tier Four Human-Faced Willow Tree. Only its tier had risen; no new skills had appeared.

Mystery Energy appeared once again.

Over these three days, Su Li's Spirit Jade progress had been continuously depleted. After meditating, it gained another point, reaching fourteen percent.

Then, after the Mystery Energy fed back into him, it rose another four points.

Previously, when White Fox advanced from a White Card to Bronze Tier Three, Su Li's Spirit Jade had directly broken through to Bronze Tier Two, at ten percent.

But this time, strengthening the Human-Faced Willow Tree from Bronze Tier Two to Bronze Tier Four only raised it by four points.

In truth, the Mystery Energy feedback was greater than it had been with White Fox, but Su Li himself was stronger now. The greater the silver coverage, the more difficult it became to increase.

Su Li did not continue strengthening cards. Instead, he opened the forum.

The Card Master rankings were pinned at the top of the forum.

① Jiang Mingyue, Bronze Tier Five, 48%.

② Bai Moxue, Bronze Tier Four, 39%.

③ Lu Chenfeng, Bronze Tier Four, 38%.

④ Wang Shiyu, Bronze Tier Four, 34%.

Jiang Mingyue was very aloof and had not updated her progress, yet she still held first place. Second place had changed hands—a girl called Bai Moxue?

Lu Chenfeng and Wang Shiyu were progressing quickly as well, nearly catching up to him despite his cheat-like advantages. They probably had precious medicine that aided mental power cultivation.

After becoming Card Masters, the gap between rich and poor immediately revealed itself. Precious medicines that assisted mental power cultivation were even more expensive than cards themselves.

Su Li spotted a post titled [Goddess Bai Moxue]. When he opened it, there was a photo inside, and his expression turned strange. Wasn't this the silver-haired girl he had rescued by hanging her from a tree?

A Ray of Sunrise in My Heart: Our newly risen card goddess Bai Moxue. What score would you all give her?

Anniversary Celebration: wdnmd, what a dumbass edgy freak!

A Ray of Sunrise in My Heart: bruised-and-swollen-face.jpg

Those two were going at each other.

Y-Y-Y: The Beast Taming Family's princess. I didn't expect her to come to Third High School too.

Even If Forever Is Far Away: 10 points. Lolis are forever supreme.

ONEINL: Heh, what a rough start. The officials already made a post. The goddess is in a rather embarrassing spot.

Huh? Su Li took notice and found that post.

Official Post: [Regarding the Blood Clan Contaminated Land]

Several hundred words laid out what had happened, with special praise for Su Li and an explanation of his reward. There was even a picture attached: Su Li speaking with Card Master Yan Mo, with Bai Moxue and several others hanging from a Human-Faced Willow Tree behind him.

Su Li's face darkened, and his chest felt tight. Which bastard had taken that picture?

Sure enough, someone commented below:

"Treating a goddess like that—Su Li, are you even a man?"

Even If Forever Is Far Away: I'm deeply pained by this. Girls are soft and delicate; they should be cherished with care.

Wine Jar Bro: Su Li, I hereby challenge you. You must offer Goddess Bai Moxue a solemn apology!

Suddenly, Su Li received a text message:

"I'm Bai Moxue. I want to see you."

Su Li was speechless. He had no idea where she had gotten his number. He did not reply.

He continued strengthening his cards!

The second and third options for the other two [Human-Faced Willow Tree] cards were the same as before, but the first option had changed slightly. The sacrificial target had shifted from a Blood Wolf to other creatures.

After a full four days, Su Li strengthened the other two [Human-Faced Willow Tree] cards to Bronze Tier Four as well.

The first strand of Mystery Energy raised the silver coverage of his Spirit Jade from eighteen percent to twenty percent, directly breaking through the second threshold and advancing him to Bronze Tier Three.

After absorbing the second strand of Mystery Energy, Su Li's Spirit Jade was already covered in twenty-two percent silver!

Four points in four days—this speed was simply terrifying. Most Card Masters were probably still at around ten points.

Strengthening cards while improving his Spirit Jade at the same time was simply too wonderful!

The strengthening options for the three [Human-Faced Willow Tree] cards updated:

① A low-level lifeform raised by vampires is very interested in a vampire's heart.

② Fuse with [Human-Faced Willow Tree] to gain new power.

③ Fuse with [Vampire Girl - Grandis] to gain new power.

④ If you possess enough cards, perhaps a miracle will be born.

Su Li recalled the description of [Vampire Girl - Grandis]. She had been so powerful immediately after becoming a vampire. While Grandis's own potential could not be ruled out, Su Li still did not want to take that risk.

As for directly sacrificing Grandis, Su Li did not even consider it. This was a True Name Card, far more valuable than a [Human-Faced Willow Tree].

Besides, between a beautiful girl and a freakish willow tree, Su Li knew perfectly well which one mattered more.

Su Li hardened his heart and fused the three [Human-Faced Willow Tree] cards directly!

The Card World began to evolve.