The Card Apprentice

Sang Hanshui faced the pink petals flying in the sky. There was a look of determination in the triangular eyes as ripples of energy were unleashed.

The bronze mask could barely be seen behind the flurry of pink petals. There was a gentle sigh of pity amidst the melodious sounds before the cold murderous intent became clear! Sang Hanshui knew that the enemy would be going for the kill and would not show any mercy. The next attack would undoubtedly be a fatal blow!

The triangular eyes stared at the shower of flower petals. Beneath the cruel and violent eyes, one could almost make out the peaceful surface of a lake.

All of the things that he has had to go through for the past few years, including the highs and lows, flashed past his eyes. He could not help but feel emotional.

All of a sudden, a rough and unfamiliar voice broke the tension of their confrontation and Sang Hanshui was quickly pulled back to reality.

“Not bad. I don’t quite like Faya’s style either.”

A strong-looking man slowly walked out from the shadows. He had large eyes and thick eyebrows eyes, and his eyes are clear and calm. The grey coat, that he was wearing, was torn in a number of places and full of dust and dirt.

The triangular eyes of Sang Hanshui suddenly shrank. He was stunned! “When did this person come so close to us? I didn’t even notice it at all.”

The petals, that had been dancing leisurely, seemed to have been given a jolt and began to dance wildly. After two seconds, the shower of flower petals was back to normal. Sang Hanshui could not help but try to figure out the identity of this thick-browed man. Even someone as powerful as Faya seemed to be taken aback as well.

After a moment of silence, Fang Shi’s voice could be heard through the shower of flower petals, “Are you Jie Yanbai?”

Sang Hanshui was completely taken aback. This was Jie Yanbai, the top master of Central Repository of the Classics?

The thick-browed man seemed surprised, “Oh, I never expected Senior Fang to be able to recognize me. What a surprise.” He looked calm and relaxed.

The shower of flower petals dissipated and Fang Shi stepped out. There was a unique magnetic quality to the voice beneath the bronze mask, “Brother Jie is capable of taking on the Comprehensive Federation Academy on his own and defeating them all. How can anyone not recognize your style?”

Jie Yanbai’s eyebrow twitched and he replied with a smile, “That’s considered as defeating them. I merely took advantage of the fact that Tang Hanpei was not around.”

“Brother Jie is too modest. Very few in the Heavenly Federation can do what you did. Nevertheless, why did Brother Jie come all the way to an insignificant place like Dongrui instead of overseeing the Central Repository of the Classics?” Fang Shi asked easily and casually. There was an easy charm about him that made it difficult for anyone to dislike him.

“Dongrui isn’t an insignificant place though. The student of Caesar is here, Miss Tan Yumin is here and even the top card artisan of Faya, Mr Fang Shi, is here. So, how can this place still be considered as insignificant?” Jie Yanbai looked directly at Fang Shi’s face behind the bronze mask, with a smile on his face. All of a sudden, he remarked, “On the contrary, I find it strange that Mr Fang Shi dared to travel all the way to Dongrui despite knowing that Miss Tan Yumin is also here. Haha, beware of the rage of a beauty.”

The eyes behind the bronze mask narrowed. A few seconds later, Fang Shi broke into laughter, “I never expected such news to have travelled to Brother Jie so quickly. Come to think of it, Faya and the Central Repository of the Classics are allies. Any one who decides to face Tang Hanpei and the Comprehensive Federation Academy on their own will be in for a tough time.”

“Looks like the injuries that Senior has sustained has also affected your confidence. What a pity!” Jie Yanbai shook his head and sighed. The look of regret on his face was undeniable.

The look in Fang Shi’s eyes suddenly turned cold, “Is Brother Jie determined to ignore the friendship between Faya and the Central Repository of the Classics and interfere with this matter tonight?”

Jie Yanbai replied calmly, “Central Repository of the Classics is Central Repository of the Classics, while Jie Yanbai is Jie Yanbai. Senior is still injured. It is better to rest, so that they may recover quickly.”

Fang Shi stared at Jie Yanbai but the latter showed no fear. Instead, he still looked very relaxed and at ease.

“If that’s the case, then I hope that Brother Jie will have fun.” With that, Fang Shi disappeared into the night.

Sang Hanshui could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. Only now did he realize that his back was completely drenched with sweat. He was clearly under tremendous pressure just now! He knew that his opponent was powerful but never in his wildest dreams would he have thought that it would be the first card artisan of Faya! The first card artisan of Faya could most certainly stand amongst the best of the best in the Heavenly Federation.

Although Sang Hanshui was not too lousy himself, he was still a distance away from that sort of standard.

Jie Yanbai, the first card artisan of the Central Repository of the Classics, and Fang Shi, the first card cartisan of Faya, were the two of the strongest of the Heavenly Federation. For both of them to appear in front of him, Sang Hanshui almost felt as if he was dreaming. He had a sudden urge to pinch himself to see if this was really happening.

“You are the subordinate of the White Commander?” Jie Yanbai turned around and asked.

“Yes.” Sang Hanshui replied respectfully. He could not help being respectful even though he was much older than Jie Yanbai.

“Do you mind passing a message? Just tell him that the disciple of Shui Qingyan of the Central Repository of the Classics, Jie Yanbai, hopes to meet him!” Jie Yanbai was very serious.

“Oh oh.” Sang Hanshui could not react in time and subconsciously made some sounds. “Goodness, why would the first card artisan of the Central Repository of the Classics ask to meet boss in such a respectful and humble manner?”

All of a sudden, there were two terrifying ripples of energy that rose together simultaneously.

Jie Yanbai snorted once and looked up before vanishing. Sang Hanshui could sense that one of the ripples of energy was unleashed by that show-off. Finally going all out? His face was solemn as he flew up as well.

Indeed, Xiaobo had gone all out. There were only eight small Orderly Wave Wheels surrounding him, but each of them was shinier and blinding than before. He was in a pitiful state as his white coat was torn and tattered and there was blood at the corner of his mouth.

Opposite him, card artisan Kushou was not in a better shape either. The red light lance was dim and the veins on Kushou’s arms were protruding very clearly. There was a bloodstain on his left shoulder and even part of his mask was broken.

Xiaobo stared viciously at his opponent with his bloodshot eyes. There was not a hint of his usual handsome looks, and instead, there was only ferociousness and berserk! At this moment, he was like a wounded wild beast in the forest. As for card artisan Kushou, there were no signs of life in his grey eyes. Only his rapid panting showed that he was still alive.

The air around them was suffocating. Both of them stared at each other. They knew that the next attack would be key to deciding the outcome of this duel!

All of a sudden, both of them struck at the same time.

Xiaobo’s slender fingers were still trembling a moment ago, yet they were unusually steady now. He stretched out his arms and the remaining eight small Orderly Wave Wheels gathered in front of him.

The eight wheels arranged themselves into the formation of a bigger wheel that resembled a circular light shield.

All of a sudden, the small Orderly Wave Wheel on top vanished and shortly after, the second row of Order Wave Wheel Wheels below it vanished as well. The speed at which they were vanishing was increasing as the third row and fourth row…

When the last Orderly Wave Wheel also vanished into thin air, there was nothing left in front of Xiaobo. But at this moment, his eyes widened.

‘Eight-wheel Air Shock’!

There was a terrifying absoluteness in the space between the both of them. A destructive ripple of energy suddenly expanded!

The eyes of card artisan Kushou turned from grey to black. It was different from an ordinary black color. There was not a hint of light, and it was the thickest and heaviest black of the night sky. On the other hand, both of Kushou’s arms were transparent like crystal. This was an illusion caused by both his arms being covered by an energy that seemed to be made up of physical substance.

His red light lance had undergone an incredible transformation. Pa pa pa, there was a clear and rapid popping sound coming from his light lance.

Amidst the popping sound, the red light lance was expanding and contorting! The veins on card artistan Kushou’s forehead were protruding and it looked like he was trying to squeeze out every ounce of energy in his body.

Bright red scales shot out of his hands and on to the light spear. Everything happened so quickly that in the blink of an eye, the entire lance has been covered with bright red scales. There were two rows of serpent-like spikes at the tip of the light lance, which had now transformed into the head of a serpent. The light lance had swiftly transformed into a snake lance!

Two narrow rows of light flowed along the bright red scales before stopping at the tip of the snake lance. Two rows of golden strings opened in the middle to form a pair of golden eyes!

All of a sudden, there was a shout in the air, “‘Jiamu Snake Lance’!”

Card artisan Kushou could not afford to care about the people around him at this moment as Xiaobo’s attack was much more dangerous than his previous attacks. All of a sudden, his eyes widen with rage as he shouted, “Go!”

The red light lance turned into a stream of red light that shot towards Xiaobo!

While floating in mid-air, Jie Yanbai was somewhat surprised to find two people in the midst of a duel but shortly after, he appeared behind Sang Hanshui, at the speed of lightning, and grabbed the latter’s collar to dodge behind.

Boom!

White and red light exploded together behind them. The ripples of energy in the air was so intimidating that Sang Hanshui’s face had turned pale!

All the card artisans outside of the tower, regardless of the card artisans of the Tai-shu family or other card artisans, were scared stiff by this terrible clash of power. Everyone could not help but stop whatever they were doing.

Just as the ripples of energy of both men were rising, Little Bu Mo had caught up with Si Dongkou. He had just used Double-fisted Punch so both his arms were terribly sore. But after sparring with Wei-ah so many times, he was aware of the importance of grabbing opportunities.

There was no hesitation in his actions!

Upon discovering these two powerful ripples of energy, Si Dongkou suddenly felt overwhelmed. He could sense that it was two powerful card artisans that were going all out against each other! But what scared him the most was that these two card artisans were too close to him!

If he remained where he was and was struck by such incredible energy, he would probably be dead.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the little monkey trying to sneak up on him. He began to panic. How he wished he could tell his opponent that it was best for both of them to flee right now!

Little Bu Mo was not distracted. He did not possess the ability to sense energy so he was nonchalant to the incredible ripples of energy. There was only one goal in his mind right now, and that was to defeat this fellow in front of him!

Bang!

His right leg struck the opponent’s energy shield once more. His opponent’s hesitation has allowed Little Bu Mo an opportunity. He had no idea why his opponent would be distracted in the middle of a fight, but all he knew was that this was an opportunity!

In the instant that his right leg struck the light shield, he bent his right leg abruptly before lightly hooking onto the energy hook on the surface of the light shield. His left leg, which had been lowered all this while, suddenly raised up and swung towards Si Dongkou like a whip!

It was all happening too quickly!

At this exact moment, Xiaobo’s ‘Eight-wheel Air Shock’ had clashed with Kushou’s Jiamu Snake Lance. The turbulence of destructive energy caused Si Dongkou to be distracted for a moment. It turned out to be a fatal one!

Before he could react, the tip of Little Bu Mo’s left foot struck his throat!

An astounding power abruptly exploded out of the foot and the cracking of bones could be heard at the same time.

At last!

Before Little Bu Mo could celebrate his victory, a hand grabbed his throat from behind. The world spun around him as he resigned himself to being dragged along.

It was Wei-ah! He finally relaxed after the initial shock. He had sparred with Wei-ah for so long that he did not even need to turn back to know that it was him. The only question in his head was why would Wei-ah drag him away in his moment of victory?

His face was filled with question marks.

All of a sudden, his black eyes froze. A light, that was as bright as sun, was rising from the tower!