14: Then let me ask you...

Zheng Shuai's gaze swept across the room, his tone becoming solemn.

"Real combat! Only through actual fighting can you grow the fastest, truly understand your cards, and hone your will and skills!"

"Then some students might ask, 'I'm still in high school, buried in my studies, and don't have enough time. What's the use of real combat? Isn't that just a waste of my precious revision and cultivation time?'"

"Then I ask you, when you wake up in the middle of the night, aren't you afraid of missing out on your dream university because your Source Power score is just a few points short?"

Below the stage, some students unconsciously clenched their fists, their knuckles turning white.

"Then I ask you again, aren't you afraid that even if you desperately score enough on the theory exams, you'll ultimately fall short due to insufficient cultivation realm and end up at a school you never considered?"

Breathing grew heavy, and a wave of unease spread.

Zheng Shuai leaned slightly forward, his voice lowered, becoming more penetrating, "Everyone! Look into my eyes!"

"Tell me honestly, do you... really have confidence?!"

The entire hall instantly fell silent, Zheng Shuai's words striking everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.

At this point, Zheng Shuai changed his tone, "Some students might be thinking, 'I'm afraid, I don't have confidence, does that mean... I don't have any other opportunities?'"

He revealed a confident smile, "Of course you do! And it's a path that can also lead to the peak—that is, through real combat, through independent admissions!"

"Some students are completely lost in theory classes, have no aptitude for languages, and their test scores always hover around the passing line. But when it comes to fighting, ten oxen can't hold them back; their combat talent is extremely high."

He emphasized, "How high? High enough to disregard theoretical gaps and be exceptionally admitted to Kyoto University based on their real combat ability!"

"Kyoto University!"

These four words seemed to possess infinite magic, instantly igniting the entire auditorium!

Whoosh—

Suppressed gasps, sounds of drawing cold breaths, and the rustling of chairs mingled together. That was the highest academy all Card Masters dreamed of! And it could be entered through independent admissions based on real combat!

"So students," Zheng Shuai spread his arms, his voice impassioned, "Don't underestimate yourselves. The outcome is undecided; you and I are both dark horses!"

...Real combat!

Independent admissions!

These two words were like two lightning bolts, cutting through the fog in Lu Yuan's mind and illuminating a whole new path.

What was his strength? Wasn't it his abnormal gold card?

Just like that time at the west alley, under the quality suppression, A-Hu couldn't even summon his beast taming card.

That was an absolute suppression originating from the life level!

Even if A-Hu managed to summon it, how many seconds could it last?

The Raging Waves Sea Soul is very strong, there's no doubt about that.

But the problem was equally obvious; with his current Source Power, let alone sustaining a long battle, even stable summoning and maintaining its basic form were a stretch. Two or three skills would deplete his Source Power.

However, Zheng Shuai's words just now reminded him—in real combat, who says you have to follow the rules? cards are dead, but people are alive! It's not necessarily about pursuing frontal crushing with powerful skills.

A flash of inspiration struck Lu Yuan's mind.

The Tidal Turtle Shell of the Raging Waves Sea Soul, in addition to defense, also had water domain control and slowing effects.

The passive Sea Soul Tenacity could accelerate Source Power recovery, and enhance mental resistance and physical defense.

If these auxiliary and control abilities were used properly, they might produce unexpected results.

For example, using the Tidal Turtle Shell to instantly create a small water domain to trap the enemy, then combining it with deterrence to make the opponent collapse without a fight?

Or, relying on the recovery and defense bonuses of Sea Soul Tenacity to wear down opponents whose total Source Power was higher than his, but whose recovery and defense were far inferior?

Plus... that second gold card he hadn't even seen yet!

Lu Yuan's mind raced, and tactical concepts began to sprout one after another.

His eyes grew brighter and brighter, the knot in his heart completely cleared, replaced by a strong impulse and desire.

It seems that going to the Beast Hunting Zone outside the safe zone to hunt monsters is imperative!

This was not just to raise his Source Power level. It was also to test these tactical concepts in real life-and-death struggles, to refine his coordination with his card, and to accumulate valuable, irreplaceable combat experience!

...As soon as the lecture ended, suppressing his inner excitement, Lu Yuan rushed towards the school library with quick steps.

He urgently needed to find detailed information about the monster-infested areas outside Jiangcheng.

Skilled, he tapped open the library's digital tablet terminal, his fingertips rapidly sliding across the virtual screen. Lu Yuan quickly found the section for "Outside City Areas and Monster Database."

A list of titles popped up:

"Jiangcheng Surrounding Monster Illustrated Guide (Beginner's Edition)"

"Alliance Certified Secret Realm Exploration Guide"

"Analysis of Low-Tier Monster Habits and Fatal Weaknesses"

"Card Master Wilderness Survival Handbook V3.0"

...Lu Yuan quickly filtered out a few of the most crucial e-books, downloaded them to his student terminal, then found a quiet corner by the window and sat down, eagerly immersing himself.

The Card Continent is vast and boundless, with complex and diverse terrains, nurturing countless special spatial nodes called "secret realms."

Monsters are otherworldly creatures that emerge from these secret realms.

They are not without intelligence. To compete for living space and Source Power resources, their conflicts with humans have never ceased.

Facing a large number and variety of monsters, the power of individual Card Masters often seems small. Therefore, "city safe zones" built on sturdy city defenses came into being.

Outside the safe zones lay the vast "Beast Hunting Zones" and unpredictable "secret realms."

Secret realms are usually lairs of powerful monsters or places of chaotic Source Power. With Lu Yuan's current strength, venturing in rashly would be tantamount to seeking death.

His gaze was firmly fixed on the introduction to "Beast Hunting Zones."

These areas are usually adjacent to city safe zones. After large-scale purges and regular patrols by the Alliance military, the danger level is relatively low. They are mostly inhabited by lone or small groups of low-tier monsters, making them ideal places for novice Card Masters to gain combat experience and acquire resources.

Jiangcheng Wild Mountain Beast Hunting Zone is located about ten kilometers west of Jiangcheng.

The data showed that this was an officially certified, relatively mature and safe primary Beast Hunting Zone, mainly inhabited by some first-tier and second-tier low-level monsters.

The most common ones include:

Gray Wolf: A first-tier monster, usually active in groups of three to five, fast, with sharp claws and teeth, but low defense.

The illustrated guide suggests using area attacks or control skills to restrict them.

Sting Pig: A second-tier monster, thick-skinned and tough, with hard bone spines on its back, good at straight charges. Its weaknesses are its relatively soft belly and eyes. Requires precise attacks on weaknesses or sufficiently strong armor-piercing ability.

Giant Horned Rabbit: A first-tier monster, much larger than an ordinary rabbit, with short, hard horns on its head, astonishing jumping power, and incisors as sharp as daggers. However, it is timid and easily startled into fleeing.

It seems not very threatening, but it's fast and hard to catch.

Occasionally, in specific areas, one might also find monsters with weak elemental or special abilities, such as Wind Spirit Butterfly (first-tier, weak wind element manipulation) or Water Pattern Snake (first-tier, common near water, slightly venomous).

These monsters generally don't have very strong offensive capabilities, and their strength is all within the first and second-tier range, making them very suitable for him.

Of course, safety is relative. Every year, a small number of reckless or unprepared Card Masters are still injured or even die in the Beast Hunting Zone.

Lu Yuan read very carefully, memorizing the pictures, habits, weaknesses, and recommended countermeasures for various monsters one by one.

No other reason than: life is precious, and the path of caution prospers daily.