58: Source Power Advancement and the Third Gold Card

The next morning, Lu Yuan appeared in the Honor Class classroom on time.

The aftermath of yesterday's class battle still lingered, and many students were analyzing each other's weaknesses, regretting their past actions.

Lin Dong's seat was empty; after storming out yesterday, he simply didn't come to class today.

On the podium, Sun Libang maintained his amiable demeanor, explaining the principles of card energy circuit construction.

"Optimizing the Source Power circuit is key to enhancing the card's power."

"Different circuit structures will affect the efficiency, stability, and burst power of energy output..."

He endured until the dismissal bell rang.

Lu Yuan didn't linger, heading straight for the triple gravity training room.

Buzz—

The heavy alloy door closed, cutting off all outside sounds.

Triple gravity instantly weighed down on him.

The heavy sense of oppression finally brought back the feeling of being a student.

Lu Yuan mobilized the Source Power within his body, letting it slowly flow along specific routes in his meridians.

This was the most basic Source Power tempering method.

Performing it under gravity conditions yielded better results.

Sweat quickly drenched his training suit.

He could clearly feel that each Source Power cycle was flushing every corner of his body.

A faint but continuous warm current converged from his limbs and bones, merging into the card slot core in his chest.

He knew the source of this warm current.

The battle at the abandoned factory in the southern suburbs.

After Raging Waves Sea Soul crushed Black Crow, it didn't stop.

The Origin Cards that burst out upon the deaths of White Paper Fan, Bald Head Qiang, and those core members of the Black Water Gang were all crushed and absorbed one by one by the massive turtle shell phantom.

Although most of the energy dissipated, a small portion of the purest origin energy was fed back into Lu Yuan's body through some mysterious connection.

It nourished his Source Power core and expanded his Source Power limit.

This was a predatory growth!

Efficient, yet also full of bloodshed.

Time flowed by in monotonous training.

He didn't know how long passed.

When the last shred of strength was exhausted, Lu Yuan collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

His body felt as if it were falling apart, every muscle aching.

But he could clearly feel that the Source Power core in his dantian was more solid and full than before.

His Source Power limit had broken through again!

Tier Two, Two-Star!

One hundred and fifteen points!

From just entering Tier Two to Tier Two Two-Star, it only took a few short days.

This promotion speed, if spread, would stun countless Card Masters.

"Still not enough..."

Lu Yuan caught his breath and slowly sat up.

After a short rest and washing off the sweat, Lu Yuan used his Honor Class privileges to enter the data room deep within the Venus Tower.

Eerie blue light filled the room, and virtual light screens floated in the air, flickering with massive amounts of information.

Lu Yuan walked to a query terminal and tapped his finger.

"Search: Source Power Resonance."

"Search: Origin Card compatibility."

"Search: Special Source Power conduction medium."

On the light screen, information streamed quickly.

Most of it was basic theory and conjecture.

Source Power Resonance: Refers to the energy amplification phenomenon that occurs between multiple cards, or between a card and a Card Master, due to a high degree of compatibility in energy attributes and origin characteristics. Extremely difficult to achieve, usually requiring long-term synergy between the Card Master and the Origin Card, or with the aid of special external forces...

Origin Card Compatibility: An indicator measuring the synchronization rate between a Card Master and an Origin Card. The higher the compatibility, the more precise the Card Master's control over the card, and the stronger the card's power. Methods of improvement: long-term joint combat, deepening mental connection, using rare heavenly treasures as aid...

Special Source Power Conduction Medium: Legend has it that some special substances exist that can optimize Source Power conduction efficiency and even promote energy resonance between cards. Extremely rare, mostly found in ancient ruins or otherworldly dimensions (secret realms), specific types and effects are not well documented...

Lu Yuan frowned slightly; the information was still vague.

The so-called "special external forces," "rare heavenly treasures," and "special substances" had no specific names or descriptions.

Clearly, these belonged to a higher level of knowledge, or were monopolized by certain major powers.

He took out the stone fragment.

It felt incredibly warm and smooth to the touch.

He tried to inject a trace of Source Power into it.

Buzz!

The fragment trembled slightly, and a faint blue and light purple intertwined halo lit up on its surface.

A weak but clear pulsation emanated from the fragment.

Lu Yuan immediately felt that the dormant gold Origin Cards, Raging Waves Sea Soul and Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon, seemed to be stirred by this pulsation, producing a slight resonance!

"Perhaps..."

Lu Yuan's eyes flickered.

This fragment, accidentally acquired at a street stall, might be that so-called "Special Source Power Conduction Medium."

Its value was probably far beyond his imagination.

Even more precious than a gold card!

What was its origin?

What did its complete form look like?

These questions remained unanswered for now.

Lu Yuan put away the fragment and left the data room.

Improving strength and gaining more information required resources and status.

The Jiangcheng Card Master Newcomer Tournament was an opportunity he had to seize... The next day passed without incident.

Aside from classes, Lu Yuan spent most of his time in the gravity training room, consolidating his Tier Two Two-Star Source Power and honing his control over Hellhound.

Occasionally, Nickname Yao would come to find him, sharing some intelligence about the Newcomer Tournament or subtly probing his final decision on the type of gold card.

Lu Yuan just smiled, noncommittal.

He could roughly guess the girl's thoughts but wasn't interested in delving deeper.

The most urgent task was to fulfill his promise, and the talent cooldown was almost at zero... The third day, afternoon.

Lu Yuan's dorm doorbell rang; it was the school's security personnel.

The person held a small package, which was an expedited delivery from "Yaoxing card Mall."

He opened it, and two cards lay quietly inside.

flower butterfly, white, two-star.

Bewitching Fox, white, two-star.

With everything ready, Lu Yuan closed the door, drew the curtains, and hid in the bathroom, ensuring the environment was absolutely safe and concealed.

He sat cross-legged, took a deep breath, and focused his mental power intensely.

Come on! Guaranteed Gold Drop!

Buzz!

An invisible fluctuation spread out.

Lu Yuan's mental power extended, like two invisible large hands, grasping flower butterfly and Bewitching Fox separately.

Source Power injected!

A soft glow emanated from the surfaces of the two white cards.

The physical cards began to become illusory and distorted.

Countless tiny specks of light overflowed from the two cards, intertwining and swirling in mid-air.

Pink light, carrying a hint of charm.

Multicolored halos, carrying a touch of enchantment.

Two distinctly different energy auras, under Lu Yuan's powerful mental control, began to attempt fusion.

The swirling light specks in mid-air gradually condensed.

Pink and multicolored intertwined, eventually transforming into a... supremely enchanting... gold!

The light grew brighter and brighter!

An indescribable charming aura, like a tide, spread out, filling the entire room!

It was as if invisible soft hands were gently stroking the heartstrings, making one's heart sway, lost in emotion.

Lu Yuan's heart tightened, and he quickly stabilized his mind, increasing his Source Power input, restraining this nascent power.

Finally!

The light receded.

A brand new card floated quietly before Lu Yuan.

It was entirely a dreamy, flowing gold color.

The card's border was outlined with intricate and seductive fox patterns.

On the card face, an indescribable spirit fox was depicted.

It seemed to have nine fluffy tails, slowly swaying behind it, each tail's tip shimmering with different colored jewel-like light.

Its fur was not a single color, but like flowing light and shadow, at times snowy white, at times rosy red, at times deep purple, constantly changing.

A pair of slender fox eyes, with a glance, seemed to contain soul-snatching magic, and deep within its pupils was endless cunning.

It wasn't standing physically but was lazily reclining on a cloud, surrounded by a faint pink halo and falling illusory petals.

Noble, elegant, mysterious, and full of fatal temptation.

Nine-Tailed Illusion Heart Fox

Strength: Tier Two

Quality: gold

Star Rating: Three Stars

Type: Fox Demon Variant

Skill One: Charming Heart Whisper

(Incites the target's inner desires or fears, applies mental suggestion; lower-tier targets may be temporarily controlled, higher-tier targets' minds are disturbed, willpower weakened.)

Skill Two: Illusory Floral Chaos

(Creates a large-scale, high-fidelity illusion, capable of distorting spatial perception, concealing one's form, creating false targets, disrupting enemy judgment and formation. Source Power consumption is percentage-based; the more Source Power, the larger and more real the illusion.)

Skill Three: Alluring Shadow

(Condenses the power of the Nine-Tails to unleash an ultimate charm or fear-inducing mental attack on a single target. Success may cause the target to fall into deep mental control, collapse, or permanent mental trauma. Consumes a great deal, and the beast's main body will enter a brief state of weakness after use.)

Remarks: A one-in-ten-thousand top-grade illusion beast, combining charm and enchantment, capable of turning reality into illusion and illusion into reality.

Lu Yuan looked at the information on the card, feeling the unique mental fluctuations emanating from the Nine-Tailed Illusion Heart Fox.

The illusions of flower butterfly and the charm of Bewitching Fox had undergone a perfect qualitative change under the catalysis of gold quality.

This Nine-Tailed Illusion Heart Fox had infinite potential.

Charming Heart Whisper could be used for infiltration, control, and creating chaos.

Illusory Floral Chaos was a perfect battlefield aid and self-preservation method.

Alluring Shadow was an even more terrifying mental killing move; if used unexpectedly, it might even pose a threat to high-tier Card Masters!

After all, who doesn't have regrets?

"Nickname Yao, oh Nickname Yao, this time you really owe me a big thank you."

...