Law of Machinery

There are four main categories of cards: combat, support, pet, and machinery.

Among the four categories, combat cards, whether designed for physical or spiritual combat, are solely focused on battle and do not possess additional attributes beyond combat applications.

Support cards, while having many branches, are almost exclusively used for enhancement.

Pet cards, as the name suggests, can include ornamental pets, combat pets, or even auxiliary pets like mounts.

However, mechanical cards are unique.

This category is very diverse, encompassing all other types.

For instance, there are weapons, firearms, cannons, and mechs suitable for combat; medical instruments, mobile mechanical tools, and detection tools for support; and even robotic dogs that function like pets.

Thus, the mechanical category is incredibly varied, and the cards within it are equally diverse, covering combat, support, pets, and even daily life.

Yet, mechanical cards share one distinct characteristic: no matter what type of mechanical card it is, once crafted and activated, it will always summon a machine. It cannot summon anything non-mechanical.

The Sleeve Arrow Card Tang Jian intended to craft belonged to the mechanical type.

In the world of Card Cultivators, various cards are essentially manifestations of the different laws of the universe.

Perhaps many years ago, before card knowledge was widespread, people struggled to understand how an ordinary card could summon a living pet or conjure a handgun or a rocket launcher out of thin air.

But after years of research and dissemination, even ordinary people have long become familiar with the most basic card knowledge and have grown accustomed to the extraordinary and miraculous power of cards.

This is also one reason why Card Masters hold such esteemed positions.

Tang Jian quickly sketched and drew on a blank card.

His hand was steady. Each time the Sketching Pen squeezed out a bit of Energy Ink, he would swiftly guide and extend it, fully demonstrating the awareness and skill of a Three-Star Card Crafter.

Soon, the lines on the white card gradually increased, and a series of arrow-like outlines slowly became discernible.

The pattern was similar to this:

←↑→↓↖↗↘↙

Of course, these arrows were completely intertwined to form a single entity, not neatly arranged.

If one didn't look closely, it would appear as a single line, but upon closer inspection, the differences became apparent.

In fact, merely drawing these patterns was not enough to craft a Sleeve Arrow Card. One also had to properly regulate the energy within the Energy Ink and use one's own Card Energy to guide the energy for correct infusion.

Moreover, when applying the pen, one had to visualize the sharp scene of a "Sleeve Arrow" being fired. Only then could the Sleeve Arrow Card not be a mere empty form without spirit, and only then could it communicate with the shining Star of Machinery in the starry sky.

The Star of Machinery truly exists; it is a very brilliant star in the cosmos, symbolizing the Law of Machinery.

It is rumored that Dolan, the strongest Card God in the Federation, confirmed that on the Star of Machinery, there are many Card Cultivators even more powerful than Card Gods, who have formed a super organization. They cultivate talented Card Cultivators from across the universe to collectively resist cosmic monsters.

All machines summoned by mechanical cards originate from the Star of Machinery, manifested and transmitted by the Law of Machinery.

The Federation's greatest card scholar (scientist), Oreo, once put forth a bold hypothesis: the Star of Machinery itself might be a card, a card representing the Law of Machinery, the progenitor of all mechanical cards, completely surpassing the seven star levels defined by the Federation, existing above seven stars.

And not just the Star of Machinery.

This also includes the Star of Reverence, representing pet-type cards.

The Star of Kings, representing combat-type cards.

The Star of Glory, representing support-type cards.

These stars themselves might be composed of the most powerful, original cards, and only with the existence of these cards did other cards come into being.

This hypothesis is akin to a beautiful legend. Whether there is substantial evidence to prove it, someone like Tang Jian, who was merely a Three-Star Card Master in his previous life, could not possibly know.

He simply treated it as a legend.

At this moment, after he completed the entire Sleeve Arrow Card with the fierce, unwavering mindset of "arrows piercing through everything," he immediately exhaled a breath of turbid air. Sweat streamed down his face uncontrollably, and his eyes were slightly dazed.

His mental energy consumption was too great; it even affected his physical stamina, leaving him somewhat drained.

However, at this moment, the Sleeve Arrow Card was truly crafted.

All the ink lines on its surface instantly solidified, and all the interconnected arrow-like patterns seemed to come alive, sharp and terrifying, as if they wanted to bore out of the card and fly away.

Tang Jian's gaze fell upon the card.

A faint smile appeared on his tired face.

The Sleeve Arrow Card was successfully crafted.

For a One-Star Card Apprentice like him, this card was sufficient.

Depending on the amount of Card Energy input, the Sleeve Arrows fired after the Sleeve Arrow Card was activated would have varying degrees of lethality.

Tang Jian checked his Attribute Panel.

His mental energy had now dropped to 0; he was extremely fatigued and could no longer craft cards.

He only had 2 points of Card Energy left.

Crafting one Sleeve Arrow Card had consumed a full 30 points of his Card Energy.

This was also because he possessed sufficiently refined card crafting skills; otherwise, it would have been impossible to craft such a mechanical card, which was more difficult than a One-Star Blank Energy Card.

Tang Jian picked up the thin Sleeve Arrow Card and tried to channel his last bit of Card Energy into it.

Immediately, the Sleeve Arrow Card grew heavy in his palm. The next moment, it twisted and deformed into a small, snake-like arrow, no more than three inches long.

Tang Jian's gaze sharpened abruptly. Without any discernible motion, he flicked his hand forcefully.

Whoosh—

The small arrow shot out instantly, embedding itself with a thud into the opposite wall, sinking deep into the cement.

Tang Jian quickly walked over, seeing the entire snake-like arrow rapidly fade and disappear. His eyes landed on the arrowhead stuck in the wall; it hadn't gone in very deep.

The power wasn't great.

But that was to be expected.

Summoning the Sleeve Arrow consumed 1 point of Card Energy, and firing it consumed another 1 point.

A Sleeve Arrow that only consumed 2 points of Card Energy had a destructive power similar to a regular iron arrow thrown with force.

However, a card was still a card. Tang Jian had just flicked the Sleeve Arrow, using only some launching technique without much force. If he were to increase the Card Energy input, the Sleeve Arrow's destructive power would be quite significant.

Tang Jian lowered his head to look at the unassuming Sleeve Arrow Card.

Such a card could be activated a maximum of thirty times before it became useless.

After one Sleeve Arrow was fired, the card would reappear in his hand, ready to be activated again with Card Energy.

Tang Jian was already very satisfied to have such a machinery-type defensive card.

If he could afford a measuring device and use it to activate an Energy Card in conjunction with the Sleeve Arrow Card for firing, it would be like having a powerful repeating crossbow.

At this moment, fatigue washed over him.

Tang Jian couldn't be bothered to wash up. He simply tidied his tools, went back to his room, climbed into bed, and gritted his teeth to continue practicing the Three-Point-One-Line Technique until he naturally fell asleep.