The Card Apprentice

Chapter 154: Give it a Try

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Cheng Ying was a professional card artisan with rich battle experience. She wasn’t from a wealthy household like Bo Wen, who had received the most excellent education from the time he was small. From whatever aspect, she was rather like Chen Mu, struggling from the bottom reaches of society. But she had more ambition than Chen Mu, and higher aspirations. Still, as compared with Chen Mu, her luck had fallen quite short.

She had always persisted in her arduous training, which differed from those card artisans who represented some academy’s school. Her skills came mostly from actual combat, so it would be very difficult to notice any flourish in her skills. For a girl to struggle alone so bitterly and then to show such courage wasn’t found in just anyone.

As compared with both Bo Wen and Chen Mu, she had experienced far more battles.

But she had never had any big ideas. She didn’t make any move against Colin’s light-spear but used her first moments to swap out for the “green hoop” card. Dazzling emerald green glowing balls surrounded her body in rings.

Ping!

A powerful force made Cheng Ying feel as though she had been smashed into hard by a high-speed shuttle car. She was stunned. How could human power reach such a terrifying place?

Facing such a hugely powerful blow, she had no way to steady herself, or even to resist such incomparable power, but instead went along with the power and floated away with the help of her jet stream card.

Watching from outside, she looked as though she had been sent flying by the light-spear which Colin had thrown, which drew a bursting cry of shock from the crowd in the stands. The villagers had grown rather fond of such a gorgeous and valiant girl.

Cheng Ying was in a terrible situation. The “green hoops” were rippling like waves of water, as ring after ring of glowing green rings quickly became chaotic, making the dark-red light-spear visible through the energy cloak. Her breathing nearly stopped in that moment! The energy cloak in front of her looked as though it would shatter at any time, and the dark red light-spear was within five centimeters from her nose. She could clearly see the fierce rippling which the tip of the dark red spear had stirred.

As the surrounding scene quickly flew past her eyes, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to relax her body.

Cheng Ying quaked in fear to see the emerald glowing hoops bouncing up and down so chaotically. Without knowing what technique Colin had used, the spear surprisingly wasn’t blown apart after it hit the energy cloak, but stuck right into it like a nail.

That light-spear was weird!

Chen Mu’s gaze had remained fixed on the light-spear thrown by Colin, and he had already discerned that it was card appliance! That shocked him, to see how far the advance of card appliances had surpassed the Federation in so many places. He speculated that if he were to carelessly encounter such an attack it wouldn’t end well.

The jet stream card was at its highest output, as Cheng Ying retreated as fast as possible. There was basically no way to see her face from the viewing stands, where only an emerald green shape was visible floating on the field, dragging a dark red glowing tail behind it.

The stands grew silent, as the villagers fixedly watched a contest such as they had never seen in the arena.

On the one side was a mysterious outsider, and on the other was the number one or number two youth from the village. They were in such a compelling battle that it took everyone’s breath away.

The “green hoop” wasn’t any ordinary thing after all! Although the blow from the light-spear had been massive, those delicate looking green glowing hoops were exceptionally resilient, and kept roiling without ever breaking apart.

There was a clang!

The metallic shaft from the light spear fell at her feet, its energy exhausted.

Cheng Ying felt relief through her body, as the green colored hoops which had protected her gradually resumed their normal appearance.

Colin’s face had gone grey, as he slowly raised his right hard, his stare fixed on Cheng Ying.

Cheng Ying was watching him nervously, since that surprise attack had stunned her just then. If she had reacted a little more slowly, she was afraid she would have been decapitated! She had never thought that Colin could be so ruthless, which made her unusually angry. She had won and lost many contests without ever having encountered such a dangerous situation. No one would ever go so all-out in such a contest which wasn’t meant to be life or death, after all.

“I accept defeat.”

That phrase from Colin was transmitted through the special equipment to reach every corner of the stands, where the deathly silent stands immediately boiled up. The gazes of the crowd toward Chen Mu and his group immediately transformed, as they took on a reverent quality, looking at the three with longing.

“Well done.” Bo Wen praised in a low voice as he patted Cheng Ying who had returned to the stands. Her panic had not yet subsided.

Cheng Ying forced out a smile, feeling some fear after the fact. She suddenly turned around to give Chen Mu a smile of gratitude, since if it hadn’t been for Chen Mu modifying her card, she would very likely be lying dead on the field that day.

“Well done.” Chen Mu encouraged her with the same words. No matter how things would go later, they were companions then, at the very least. Cheng Ying needed encouragement at that moment.

Cheng Ying was stunned that Chen Mu would give her such praise, but by the time she’d reacted, Chen Mu had already turned to leave. Watching his back, she suddenly felt elated and couldn’t help her mouth turning up. The elation coming straight from her heart made her extraordinarily beautiful just then.

Bo Wen had taken that all in, and his expression darkened.

From there forward the banquet had become insipid and without flavor, though only for Chen Mu. Cheng Ying, who had been victorious against Colin, and the villagers who had just witnessed such an thrilling battle, were all immersed in their excitement.

“The lass’s skill is stunning! To defeat Colin so handily is something only Wei-ah could do from the village.” The clan elder was endless with his praise, while Bafu to his side had a very strange look on his face.

Cheng Ying said with a light smile, “You grant too much. Cheng Ying is the weakest among the three of us. Colin conceded defeat this time, seeing that Cheng Ying is a woman, and held back. Otherwise even several Cheng Ying’s wouldn’t have been his equal.”

What Cheng Ying said improved Bafu’s and the others looks somewhat, while Colin then became rather gallant, as he said with deep feeling, “Miss Cheng mustn’t speak that way. A loss is a loss, and strength doesn’t matter while diligence does.”

What Colin said gave Cheng Ying a new appreciation for him. To accept defeat in front of so many people wasn’t something that many could do.

Elder Bafu laughed as he patted Colin on the shoulder, and said candidly, “Right! Real men must always be so broad-minded and bold as to return to the fray. What is a loss? You must still pay attention to your methods and study those with ability in order to keep advancing.” Then he turned, “I wonder if Miss Cheng would consent to giving the youth of our village some pointers?”

“If any of you require anything, please say so.” The unhurried cold voice came from Kang Lade, which had been the first time the real power of the village had opened his mouth. It seemed as though he had also recognized the strength and advancement of the card artisan style of battle.

Then everyone quieted down.

Cheng Ying took a look at Bo Wen and Chen Mu and wisely chose to remain silent, since in regard to that matter she didn’t want to say something careless. Bo Wen secretly rejoiced as he quickly calculated. Even if they didn’t express any demands they might have, that wouldn’t be as important as a guarantee of their safety. He could also then set some conditions of his own for finding a way to set up cooperative trade-relations with such an affluent village.

Only Chen Mu kept his calm expression, as though nothing had anything to do with him. Since he didn’t have Cheng Ying’s fear of Bo wen, and didn’t have any scheme the way Bo Wen did, he remained naturally poised.

Chen Mu’s calm poise had drawn the attention of the clan elder and the rest.

Could he really be the leader of the three after all? The clan elder wondered to himself.

Cheng Ying couldn’t stay still any longer, since her counterpart had made a request. She thought it over and carefully said, “There is something that you don’t know about our fighting methods, which is that they require specialized equipment.”

“Ah, what equipment is that?” The clan elder asked.

“This is an apparatus, and it uses all kinds of cards which are inserted into it. You witnessed the blows that it emits, as well as the energy cloak. All of that was provided by the cards.” Cheng Ying was unfastening the apparatus while she patiently explained.

Her apparatus was passed among them, and everyone was curious about such a strange thing. Her explanation gave them a sense that they had learned something that they didn’t quite understand, and the leader Bafu couldn’t help asking, “What Miss Cheng is saying is that if you didn’t have these things, then there wouldn’t be any way to learn your skills?”

“Correct!” Cheng Ying was very definite about that. Without the apparatus, and without energy cards and fantasy cards, then how could you do battle?

The crowd couldn’t help looking crestfallen.

Kang Lade suddenly opened his mouth again, “I wonder how one could get a hold of the apparatus and cards?” Every time he opened his mouth, the temperature in the room would get a few degrees colder.

Bo Wen’s heart had lightened up, since that was his opportunity! If the two sides were to set up a cooperative trading relationship, the Eastern Ning’s would naturally provide a large quantity of cards. Bo Wen felt extraordinarily wise as he thought that through, and his assurance quickly stepped up a few notches.

Thereupon a very earnest seeming Li Duhong pointed to Chen Mu and shouted, “He can make them!”

Chen Mu’s gaze swept helplessly toward Li Duhong, who shrunk back in fear.

“Ah!” The clan elder quickly became interested, “Mr. Chen can make them?”

Everyone’s gaze quickly focused on Chen Mu, and the temperature around him shot up.

“I have some ability.” Chen Mu said cautiously.

“Excellent!” The clan elder was elated, “I wonder if we might ask Mr. Chen to make a few of the apparatus and cards for us?”

Seeing that Chen Mu was thinking it over, he struck while the iron was hot, to say, “If Mr. Chen agrees, we will amply reward him. And if Mr. Chen would like to remain in the village, he would enjoy the highest status. We would provide anything that you might desire. And if Mr. Chen would desire to return home, I would send people to assist him in exiting the jungle. Although our clan has never left the jungle, we are the best guides within it.”

“Please don’t worry anyone, we have no ambitions toward the outer world. The reason we would like to learn your techniques is only that we hope to increase the strength of the clan’s people, so that we can continue to live well in the jungle.” The ever-silent Kitt had finally opened his mouth.

“We can give it a try.” Chen Mu finally nodded after thinking it over. Then Bo Wen’s face quickly fell.