Chapter 39

This was the second time they had met, and it was at the Cangdu Youth Training Tournament, no less.

Recalling how Liu Yanran had once claimed that the next time they met, she would absolutely not lose to him, a subtle expression crossed Lu Li's face. Perhaps, if the opportunity arose, he could let Liu Yanran test the power of the Eye of Timaos.

As Lu Li discovered Liu Yanran, she also saw him and smiled, waving a greeting.

Lu Li nodded in response.

Aside from that previous exchange tournament, the two didn't have much interaction. Lu Li wasn't narcissistic enough to think that just because of one tournament, she would have feelings for him.

Their relationship, for now, was more of a nodding acquaintance.

Likewise, although Liu Yanran was slightly interested in Lu Li, they hadn't reached that stage yet, especially since he had once defeated her.

However, as she greeted Lu Li, she felt a sudden chill down her spine, as if she were being targeted by some malice.

She looked around, but found nothing amiss, so she simply assumed she was being a bit too sensitive.

The others, however, didn't think so, especially the other contestants from Cangyue City, many of whom had secretly set their sights on Liu Yanran.

But no matter how much they wanted to, they didn't dare do anything out of line.

Because the Liu family Liu Yanran belonged to was a prestigious clan in Cangyue City, and she herself was outstanding in every aspect, deeply favored by the Cangyue City Lord, Lin Heling. If anyone dared to play dirty with her, they'd likely be hung from the city walls by that evening.

Thus, Liu Yanran could be considered the dream goddess of the younger generation in Cangyue City.

But right now, their dream goddess was smiling and greeting a man—a man who was not only not one of them, but didn't even belong to Cangyue City. This made them feel extremely annoyed and uncomfortable.

As the saying goes, "Fertilizer shouldn't flow into outsiders' fields."

Why on earth? Did you Cangling City people run out of women? You actually came to Cangyue City to steal our girl, and you picked the most precious one at that, as if we didn't exist!

Suddenly feeling a barrage of malicious and fierce gazes landing on him, Lu Li found it inexplicable. He was meeting these people for the first time; why were they reacting so strongly?

Thinking back, the attitude of the exchange students from Cangyue Academy last time was similar. Was this actually a tradition of Cangyue City? Lu Li mused silently.

"I say, you two, whatever you have to talk about, do it later. Don't leave the little ones behind you hanging." Inside the Cangdu Association, a middle-aged man walked out, interrupting their conversation.

71. My Daughter is Still the Best!

The man was dressed in well-fitting attire, but upon closer inspection, one could see the clothes were stretched taut, suggesting explosive muscles beneath—a physique extremely rare among Magic Card masters.

Even Lu Li couldn't help but glance sideways. If this man weren't a Magic Card master, he'd be more than qualified to be a boxer.

"Ah, we didn't take that into account." Although their conversation was interrupted, Yu Haojia and Song Yongzhang weren't annoyed; instead, a flash of embarrassment crossed their faces.

Especially since the Cangdu Association was located in the city center, and there were plenty of people coming and going. Having two teams loitering at the entrance for so long had already attracted quite a bit of attention.

However, both were old foxes with thick skin; the embarrassment vanished in a flash, and they quickly returned to normal. "This is Shangguan Pu, one of the Vice Presidents of the Cangdu General Association."

Shangguan?

The compound surname was quite rare, and "Shangguan" wasn't exactly a common name. But in Cangdu, the surname was very prominent, the most representative figure being the President of the Cangdu General Association, the Immortal Realm expert, Shangguan Hong.

Coupled with the fact that he was a Vice President of the Cangdu General Association, the relationship between Shangguan Pu and Shangguan Hong was clearly not simple.

In an instant, everyone's gaze toward Shangguan Pu became solemn. In their minds, Shangguan Pu's status was even heavier than that of Yu Haojia or Song Yongzhang.

"Come in. Many old friends have already arrived. If you were any later, you'd be the last batch." Shaking his head, Shangguan Pu turned to lead them inside. However, in a moment when no one else was paying attention, his gaze swept over Lu Li, carrying a hint of interest.

He had heard his father, Shangguan Hong, mention information regarding Lu Li. It was hard to imagine that such a young Magic Card master was actually an original Magic Card creator.

Of course, whether one could create original Magic Cards had no direct causal relationship with a Magic Card master's age.

Naturally, Shangguan Hong had only mentioned Lu Li's uniqueness to Shangguan Pu, warning him not to spread the word.

Therefore, even though Shangguan Pu was interested in Lu Li and wanted to see his original Magic Cards, he suppressed the urge.

Since his father had specifically warned him not to reveal that Lu Li was an original Magic Card creator, there must have been a reason. Shangguan Pu knew the gravity of the situation.

"Nine-star War General, just one step away from the Commander Realm. Only a sliver behind Wan'er," Shangguan Pu thought silently. "I can only say, as expected of a Magic Card master who creates original cards."

Although Shangguan Wan'er's rank was higher than Lu Li's, reaching the Commander Realm, Shangguan Pu knew exactly how many materials and how much money his daughter had spent to reach that level.

If it weren't for the Shangguan family's deep pockets, even if Shangguan Wan'er were a genius, she wouldn't have reached the three-star Commander Realm so quickly.

Lu Li, however, came from an ordinary background, yet he was only a sliver behind Shangguan Wan'er. If Shangguan Wan'er were in Lu Li's position, it was uncertain whether she could have reached the same height. Shangguan Pu had a strong premonition about this.

"No wonder Father suggested Wan'er should get in touch with Lu Li. For her, this might be an opportunity."

"However, even as an original Magic Card creator, his rank is still too low. Especially since there's a whole major realm between Lu Li and Wan'er, it's hard to say who is stronger." As Shangguan Wan'er's father, Shangguan Pu naturally leaned toward his own daughter.

Withdrawing his gaze, Shangguan Pu stopped thinking about it. They would have plenty of time during the upcoming Youth Training Tournament to see Lu Li's performance.

……

The Cangdu General Association had already looked massive from the outside, but as everyone followed Shangguan Pu inside, seeing the dome that seemed to reach the heavens and the gold-and-jade-adorned decorations, everyone was struck with awe once again.

This environment, this configuration—it left the branch associations of the twelve satellite cities in the dust.

It was past working hours, so the association wasn't open to the public. Only a few staff members were waiting on the side. Seeing Lu Li's group, they immediately walked over.

Their job was to receive the personnel from the twelve cities participating in the Youth Training Tournament. They had already received several groups today and were well-versed in the process.

"The journey was long; you should all rest for a while." Shangguan Pu exchanged a few words with Yu Haojia and Song Yongzhang before instructing the staff to lead all the contestants to their guest rooms.

0 Begging for flowers.

To this, neither the contestants from Cangling City nor those from Cangyue City had any objections; in fact, many breathed a sigh of relief.

The combined aura of three Sovereign Realm Magic Card masters was simply too overwhelming. Even though they had intentionally restrained their auras, it was still more than these novice Magic Card masters could bear.

"As expected of the Cangdu General Association. Calling these 'guest rooms' is an understatement." Following the staff to their accommodation for the next few days, Lu Li couldn't help but marvel as he looked at the villas.

It wasn't just Lu Li; the others in the team were the same. This was even more luxurious than their own homes.

The villas were fully equipped, with various facilities integrated without compromising the overall aesthetic. Lu Li even spotted a small indoor hot spring and a swimming pool—this was simply outrageous.

Shaking his head, Lu Li summoned the Dark Magician Girl. Seeing the villa's gorgeous decorations, the Dark Magician Girl's beautiful eyes lit up.

"Take a look. We'll be staying here for the next few days." Seeing this, Lu Li couldn't help but flick her nose, earning a coquettish glare from the girl.

A storage card appeared in Lu Li's hand. With another wave, his packed luggage was released.

"This storage card—if it were in my previous life, everyone would have fought tooth and nail for it. It's just too convenient."

Lu Li even maliciously thought that if he put some high-lethality weapons like C4 or fuel-air bombs into the storage card, he could definitely earn the title of "Crown Assassin"!

It was just a small card. Even if it was special, who would ever guess it contained terrifying weapons capable of destroying a city?

Shaking his head, Lu Li cast these unrealistic thoughts aside; after all, the idea wasn't practical.

After wandering around the villa and marveling once more at the luxury of the Cangdu General Association, Lu Li looked at Mana. "Let's go. It's getting late; time to eat."

72. Third-Generation Card User! I Really Want to Pinch Her!

According to the staff, the Cangdu General Association had a dedicated restaurant serving specialties from Cangdu and the twelve cities, so contestants didn't need to worry about not adjusting to the local food. The cuisine here was no worse than a five-star hotel.

"Master, I won't go," Mana shook her head. "I plan to tidy up my luggage."

Although she would eat, Magic Card spirits actually relied on the Magic Card master's mana to sustain their existence. As long as there was mana replenishment, they could remain in peak condition daily. Therefore, theoretically, Magic Card spirits didn't need food to supplement their bodies.

Even if they did eat, it was just to stimulate their taste buds and enjoy the flavors; they gained no extra benefits.

"Is that so?" Understanding Mana's thoughts, Lu Li didn't force her. "Then when I get back later, I'll feed you, you little glutton."

"Master!" Understanding what Lu Li meant, Mana's face flushed a beautiful red, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

Compared to the taste of food, the mana from the Magic Card master was even more intoxicating to the spirit. This also applied to the Dark Magician Girl.

Of course, there were many ways to release mana. After years of development, the mana exchange between Magic Card masters and spirits had evolved into many tricks. Lu Li and Mana had practiced these many times.

……

"Lu Li, what a coincidence." Leaving the residence, Lu Li hadn't walked far when a familiar ethereal voice reached his ears.

Without needing to think, Lu Li recognized the owner of the voice as Liu Yanran. Among all the people he knew, only her voice was so ethereal and unique.

It had to be said, even if she hadn't become a Magic Card master, just based on that unique voice, she could have become a great singer. Not to mention, Liu Yanran also possessed outstanding looks.

However, this was the Magic Card civilization, where the status of a Magic Card master was above all else. No matter how good one's looks were, without strength, one was just a vase.

"Indeed, quite a coincidence." Looking at Liu Yanran walking over not far away, Lu Li couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Beside her was a girl in a sky-blue sleeveless dress.

She also had a tall, perfect figure and outstanding looks. Unlike Liu Yanran's ethereal quality, the blue-clad girl in glasses gave off an intellectual vibe.

However, compared to that intellectual aura, the girl's slightly chubby, cute round face caught Lu Li's attention even more.

The women he knew were basically all oval-faced; seeing such a round face was truly rare. Even Lu Li felt the urge to pinch it.

"Are you going to eat too? Want to join us?" Thinking this, Liu Yanran had already walked up to him and introduced the girl beside her: "This is Shangguan Wan'er, my best friend in Cangdu, and also one of the candidates representing the Cangdu General Association in the Youth Training Tournament."

Shangguan again?

Hearing Liu Yanran's introduction, Lu Li couldn't help but complain silently: "Good grief, at this rate, will I have met the entire Shangguan family on my first day in Cangdu?"

Even if Liu Yanran didn't elaborate further, Lu Li knew that the relationship between Shangguan Wan'er and the previously encountered Shangguan Pu was definitely not simple.

Combined with the fact that she was one of the candidates for the Youth Training Tournament representing the Cangdu General Association, Lu Li wouldn't be surprised if Shangguan Wan'er were Shangguan Pu's daughter.

Fine! Another second-generation card user!

No! Thinking of Shangguan Hong, this might even be a third-generation card user!

However, recalling Shangguan Pu's explosive, boxer-like physique and then looking at Shangguan Wan'er, Lu Li didn't know how to describe it. It was as if the genes had mutated, or perhaps her mother's genes had gone wild!