Eerie Vine Demon

"Now that my Natal Card has advanced to two stars, all its attacks have improved too."

Lin Qi clearly remembered that when the Hero's Remains was still a one-star card, its talent, Hero's Fearlessness, increased attack by 20% and defense by 10%. Both had now risen by 5%.

Even more surprising was that the feedback from his Natal Card's advancement had made his body considerably stronger too.

Lin Qi stood up and walked over to the mirror, looking at his visibly changed reflection.

His once somewhat slender frame now had smooth, toned lines of muscle, and his shoulders and back were a little broader. More unexpectedly, his height, which had stopped at 175 centimeters, had actually shot up to 178. As his gaze swept over the edge of the mirror, it traced a slightly wider arc than before.

"This is the foundation of a Card Master. When a Natal Card gets stronger, its Card Master benefits too."

He squeezed his arm. The explosive power in his muscles far surpassed what it had been before, and the gleam of excitement in his eyes burned brighter and brighter.

"The books say that whenever a Card Master breaks through to a new realm, their lifespan increases by a few years compared to ordinary people. A life-type Natal Card can even break through the limits of a human lifespan. I wonder if a life-type Secondary Card can give me vitality through feedback..."

Lin Qi's gaze fell on a stack of cards gleaming white on the table. They were the hundred Parasitic Vine Seeds he had just acquired.

"On Blue Star, plants and the wood attribute have always symbolized vitality. Surely the Source Card Continent follows similar laws?"

Summoning Card: Parasitic Vine Seed

Star rating: one star

Quality: white

Card description: Summons a seed that can be hidden on an enemy or within a specified area, then activated to parasitize and entangle.

Evaluation: A seed taken from a Vine Demon. It has some binding ability, but its effect is fairly ordinary.

"Fuse!"

His Source Power had long since recovered fully. Without further hesitation, Lin Qi flicked his fingertips, and five Parasitic Vine Seeds were swallowed by the vortex.

A green light shone from the vortex.

A moment later, a card glowing green slowly descended. Lin Qi reached out to catch it and eagerly checked its attributes.

Summoning Card: Entanglement Thorn

Star rating: two stars

Quality: green

Attribute: toxin +3

Skill 1: Entanglement. Actively entangles and attacks one enemy, dealing continuous damage and slight toxin damage while slowing the enemy.

Skill 2: Thorn Armor. Responds to the Card Master's command by rapidly wrapping around a designated allied unit to form a temporary layer of armor, providing a small amount of defense and dealing piercing counterattack damage to melee attackers.

Card description: No longer a seed requiring a medium, but a dark green thorny vine that can burst up from underground. The vine is covered in sharp, poisonous thorns.

Evaluation: It has grown from a seed with a single binding function into an active summon capable of both offense and defense. Its tactical value has increased considerably, and it can serve as a reliable means of battlefield control and support in a deck.

"Entanglement Thorn, offense and defense in one. This is a good card, but it still isn't good enough to be my Secondary Card."

Lin Qi set the Entanglement Thorn aside and glanced over the remaining ninety-five Parasitic Vine Seeds. A flash of resolve crossed his eyes. "I might as well push straight on and go for three stars!"

If the Entanglement Thorn's abilities were good after advancing, it would be perfect as his second Secondary Card. If he wasn't satisfied with the result, he would have to advance the two-star Magic Card Exploding Fireball to three stars and see what it was like.

Taking a deep breath, Lin Qi raised his hand and tossed forty-five Parasitic Vine Seeds into the Source Power vortex.

This time, the green light erupting from the vortex was ten times more intense than before. Energy churned and boiled within it, as though life were taking shape.

Before long, nine green Entanglement Thorn cards floated around the vortex, giving off faint energy fluctuations.

Lin Qi concentrated on controlling the vortex and fused the ten Entanglement Thorn cards.

A brilliant blue light erupted in an instant, illuminating the entire room as an even stronger wave of energy spread outward.

When the light faded, a card with a deep, dark blue glow slowly floated down and settled in Lin Qi's palm. On the card was a lifelike vine entwined with purple markings, as though it might burst out of the card at any moment.

Summoning Card: Eerie Vine Demon

Star rating: three stars

Quality: blue

Attributes: toxin +10, life +10

Talent: Mimetic Ambush. When in a forest, grass, or any environment rich in plant life, the Eerie Vine Demon can blend perfectly into its surroundings, making it extremely difficult to detect.

Skill 1: Thorn Entanglement. Releases five thorny vines that can each entangle a different target, or join forces to strangle a single target, dealing continuous damage and binding it tightly.

Skill 2: Neurotoxin. Its spikes can secrete a potent neurotoxin. Enemies struck by its attacks will not only be slowed, but also have a chance of being briefly paralyzed.

Evaluation: The Eerie Vine Demon is a deadly hunter that combines ambush, powerful control, and continuous damage. It perfectly embodies the transformation from plant to monster.

"A great card! What a great card!"

Lin Qi gripped the Eerie Vine Demon card tightly, his eyes full of wild delight.

"The Hero's Remains can charge in and draw fire, while the Eerie Vine Demon lurks in the shadows and launches a sneak attack for a fatal blow. One in the open, one in the dark—a perfect combination."

Lin Qi quickly sat cross-legged on the carpet and slowly closed his eyes, focusing all his mental power on the Eerie Vine Demon card in his palm.

With a thought, the Source Power within him flowed like an awakened stream through the channels in his arm. It finally gathered at his fingertips, resonating with the energy fluctuations on the card's surface.

A pale golden halo of Source Power spread from Lin Qi's fingertips, gradually enveloping the Eerie Vine Demon card. The card's deep blue glow grew brighter in response, as though countless tiny vines were wriggling gently within its patterns.

"Link to the Card Slot Space!"

Deep within his consciousness, a golden light already floated quietly in an empty space. It was his Natal Card, the Hero's Remains.

When the thread of mental power carrying the Eerie Vine Demon's energy touched the spatial barrier, the entire card slot suddenly glowed a soft green, complementing the golden light of the Hero's Remains.

Without the slightest resistance, the Eerie Vine Demon turned into a streak of green light and settled on the other side of the Card Slot Space, facing the Hero's Remains from a distance.

The instant the card fully settled into the slot, a stream of cool energy flowed back into Lin Qi's body through their mental link.

Unlike the fierce power granted by the Hero's Remains, this energy carried the vitality unique to plants. It slowly nourished his meridians, and the mental strain from fusing cards in succession instantly eased.

Lin Qi's eyes snapped open, a sharp light flashing in them.

He could clearly feel that a wondrous connection had formed between him and the Eerie Vine Demon.

It seemed that with a single thought, he could command it to lie in ambush anywhere there were plants. He could even sense in advance how strong the paralyzing effect of its Neurotoxin would be.

"My vitality... really has increased!"

He opened his palm. His skin was still young, but the thriving vitality within him was entirely different from the strength brought by muscle growth. It was gentle and enduring.

"Every Secondary Card can feed power back to the Card Master. The higher its star rating and quality, the greater the feedback. No wonder a difference of one star can create such a huge gap between Card Masters."

The Wind Chime Cat had given him keen perception, and the Hero's Remains had gifted him fierce strength. Now the Eerie Vine Demon had added vitality. He could almost see his future self, transforming step by step into a being beyond ordinary people with the help of his cards.

Placing his Natal Card and two Secondary Cards on his knees, Lin Qi had already sketched out a clear battle strategy in his mind.

"When I encounter an enemy, I'll first have the Hero's Remains use Hero's Charge, drawing fire with its skeletal greatsword and disrupting their formation. At the same time, the Eerie Vine Demon will use Mimetic Ambush to hide among the plants. Once the enemy exposes an opening, it'll immediately bind them with Thorn Entanglement and follow up with Neurotoxin for additional control. Finally, the Hero's Remains or the Wind Chime Cat will deliver the fatal blow."

The more Lin Qi thought about it, the more perfect the combination seemed.

One in the open, one in the dark, and one agile; one for offense, one for control, and one for vigilance. He could fight head-on or launch a sneak attack from the shadows. If he really couldn't win, he still had the Wind Chime Cat to keep watch while he fled.

"This is the power of deck synergy! This is the wisdom of someone from Blue Star."

Lin Qi felt proud and superior.

In all his years in Stone Iron City, he had never seen anyone use cards in combination.

Even Lin Feng only knew to pair his Wind-Breaking Saber with a Skill Card. Apart from that, his other Secondary Cards were all unrelated things.

A Mercenary's Saber, some glimmering moss-how could such a hodgepodge of things serve as Secondary Cards?

That was precisely why Lin Qi had fused a three-star suit of armor, a pair of three-star boots, and a two-star Exploding Fireball for him.

Since his Natal Card was an Implement Card, he should take the warrior path, arm his own body first, and then keep a ranged Magic Card in reserve for emergencies.

"I should also get myself a three-star Implement Card for clothing, just in case."

The three-star Implement Card Lin Qi was wearing on his feet was the Boots of Stealth he had fused earlier.

Without a link to the Card Slot Space, these summoned items would continually wear down until they were too damaged to wear.

But he didn't care. Once he wore them out, he could just fuse a better pair. His life was more important.

"Let me try out this Eerie Vine Demon's abilities."

Lin Qi mobilized his Source Power, and the Eerie Vine Demon in the Card Slot Space immediately responded.

The potted plant on the room's windowsill suddenly swayed gently. A tiny dark green vine quietly emerged from beneath several green leaves, its tip bearing tiny thorns. It was the Eerie Vine Demon in a miniature form.

"It can actually manifest through nearby plants?"

Lin Qi raised an eyebrow and reached out to gently touch the vine. A faint sting immediately came from his fingertip, accompanied by a slight numbness.

"This Neurotoxin doesn't feel especially powerful, does it?"

As soon as he said that, the Eerie Vine Demon's vine began to sway, as though expressing its displeasure.

"The little thing is intelligent too? Why is it like a Beast Taming Card?"

Curious, Lin Qi formed a mental link with the Eerie Vine Demon card and did indeed detect a slight mental fluctuation from it.

"I see. After linking the card, you gave me a degree of toxin immunity through feedback. And this toxin only deals a tenth of the Neurotoxin's damage."

He recalled the Eerie Vine Demon into its card and summoned the lively Wind Chime Cat onto his shoulder. Before, his physique had been far too weak to bear the Wind Chime Cat's weight, so he could only hold it in his arms at most. Now he could stay upright even with it standing on his shoulder.

"Come on, Wind Chime Cat. Let's go out for a walk."