Selling Blue Cards

Once the two-star Implement Cards had all sold, the crowd erupted.

"Boss, do you have any other high-quality cards besides the Mercenary Greatsword?"

Now that they had seen two-star cards, everyone was naturally less excited about the one-star Scout's Short Blade. All they could think about were two-star cards.

"Of course I do!"

Lin Feng slammed a hand on the counter. Much of his earlier easygoing manner fell away, and as he folded his arms, his shoulders straightened slightly. A sense of pride rose within him.

He deliberately paused, waiting until everyone's curiosity had reached its peak before announcing, "I also have freshly made three-star blue-quality Implement Cards, but they won't officially go on sale until this afternoon!"

"What? Blue quality?"

Someone at the front of the crowd cried out, his voice changing pitch. "Did I hear that right? Did he say blue cards?"

"That's right. Blue quality!" Lin Feng emphasized each word as he swept his gaze over the crowd.

Gasps rang out among them. An employee in a Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion uniform went pale and muttered, "Impossible... Our Stone Iron City branch of the Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion often runs out of green cards. How could a little shop like his have blue cards? Lin Feng... Could he really be a card maker?"

Seeing the crowd talking among themselves, clearly unconvinced, Lin Feng patted the counter to quiet them.

"Everyone, look. What am I holding?"

They turned toward his voice. A card glowing deep ocean blue was held between Lin Feng's fingers. Its light was soft and warm, not glaring, and a phantom longsword flickered in and out of sight within the glow on its face. Even the pattern on its sword tassel was clearly visible.

"Hiss!"

Greedy intakes of breath sounded one after another. Many mercenaries swallowed, their gazes hot enough to burn through the card. Some quietly tightened their grips on the weapons at their waists, clearly entertaining ill intentions.

"It seems you've forgotten the rules."

Lin Feng frowned and unleashed the full force of his Four-Star Card Master aura.

His icy killing intent swept through the crowd like a cold wind. Those poised to make a move froze, a layer of cold sweat inexplicably breaking out on their backs.

In an instant, the icy killing intent brought everyone to their senses.

They suddenly remembered that Lin Feng was a veteran mercenary who had fought in countless battles, capable of serving as a mercenary group's vice commander.

"M-Master Lin Feng!"

The lean mercenary from earlier was the first to recover, his tone instantly ten times more respectful.

"Are you really going to sell that blue-quality card?"

Who but a card maker could bear to sell even a blue-quality card? At once, everyone believed Lin Feng was a card maker.

"Of course."

Lin Feng withdrew his aura and gently waved the blue card between his fingertips.

"There are three blue-quality three-star cards in all. First come, first served. If too many people want them, they'll go to the highest bidders."

He raised a hand and pointed to the left side of the counter.

"All right, anyone who wants a Scout's Short Blade can line up here. There are twenty in all. The blue cards won't go on sale until this afternoon."

The moment he finished speaking, the crowd split up.

Most of the mercenaries took off toward the city gates, eager to hurry back and report the news to their commanders.

A blue-quality card! Whichever mercenary group acquired one would surely see a tremendous boost in strength.

The once-crowded line thinned considerably in an instant.

Lin Feng quickly sold out of the Scout's Short Blades and happily closed the shop. He had to go back and prepare for the afternoon's auction. This was a perfect opportunity to make Wonderful Tales truly famous.

News that blue-quality cards had appeared struck Stone Iron City like a thunderclap, instantly stirring up the entire city.

All the major mercenary groups, the Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion, and even the city lord's manor were alerted.

Inside the city lord's manor,

Alicia scooped up a Source Crystal with a small silver spoon and offered it to the skylark.

The Card Beast had just had its feathers repainted. It held its head high and puffed out its chest as it pecked at the Source Crystal, chirping happily.

If Lin Qi saw this, he would definitely curse capitalism to hell! (Source Crystals contained Source Power, making them a great aid to Card Masters in their cultivation. They could also increase a Card Beast's strength. One Source Crystal was worth ten thousand Ka'en.)

"Miss, I have urgent news."

The maid Xiao Lan rushed in, holding up her skirt. Her face was flushed, and she could hardly conceal the urgency in her voice.

Alicia gently stroked the skylark's smooth feathers with her fingertips.

"Xiao Lan, you must mind your bearing at all times. Besides, Stone Iron City is such a small place. What big news could there possibly be?"

Xiao Lan took a deep breath and made an effort to compose herself like a lady.

Only after giving a slight curtsy did she speak. "Miss, it's about cards. Everyone outside is saying someone is selling blue-quality cards, three of them!"

"Oh?"

Alicia finally looked up, a trace of surprise passing through her pale golden eyes.

She had blue cards herself, and there were plenty of them at the Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion in the Iron Anvil Duchy. Anyone with money could buy them.

What truly surprised her was where blue-quality cards could have come from in Stone Iron City, a third-tier town in such a remote location.

Still playing with the skylark, she asked casually, "What kind of cards are they?"

"I heard they're Implement Cards." Xiao Lan carefully recalled what she had heard.

Alicia was somewhat disappointed.

"Implement Cards? Those are no use to me."

"But miss, it's not the Ten Thousand Cards Pavilion selling them. It's the shop that delivered the Pink Fluorite to you last time!" Xiao Lan hurriedly added.

Alicia turned her head, her pale golden hair sweeping across her shoulders. Genuine surprise finally appeared on her face. "You mean Lin Qi?"

"Yes, yes, that's him!"

Xiao Lan nodded repeatedly. "The whole city is saying his father, Lin Feng, is a card maker, and that he made those cards."

"A card maker..."

Alicia's fingers came to a stop on the skylark's feathers, and the surprise in her eyes deepened.

"All the card makers in the Iron Anvil Duchy who can make blue-quality cards are honored guests in the royal capital. How could someone like that be hiding in Stone Iron City?"

Xiao Lan ventured, "Miss, should we report this to the city lord?"

"Father is attending a meeting in the duchy. Even if he receives the news, it won't be until ten days from now."

Alicia thought for a moment, then smiled.

"Perhaps they were lucky enough to enter a secret realm and brought the cards out from there. They're only Implement Cards. Only mercenaries like using them, so leave them be."