84: The old man's frankness

Upon seeing the young man and recalling what the Old Master had said, Yao Tianbi's expression subtly changed.

He hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Father! Lu Yuan has only just advanced to the second-tier mid-stage; to battle a third-tier peak Card Master... this... this might be a bit difficult..."

Before he could finish, Yao Zhenchuan impatiently waved his hand. "Second-tier against third-tier? Why not?"

"If he doesn't even have the courage and confidence for such a cross-tier challenge, then how can he hope to compete in the even more intense provincial competition, vying with the true monstrous geniuses from various major powers?"

"If that's the case, then he's nothing more than a frog in a well with an undeserved reputation! Having a card is useless; my Yao Family doesn't need such trash!"

"Didn't Tian Xiao say he's very capable in a fight? Then let him try."

Listening to Yao Zhenchuan's words, Lu Yuan didn't shrink back; instead, his fighting spirit soared.

He knew this was an opportunity the Old Master was giving him—a chance to prove himself with strength and earn the true recognition of the Yao Family's patriarch.

"My cultivation is indeed shallow, but I am willing to seek guidance from Senior.

I ask Old Master Yao and all Seniors for your generous pointers."

He decided not to hold back any longer!

If he was going to fight, he would fight to his heart's content!

With a thought, the card slot in Lu Yuan's hand shone brightly!

"Caw—!"

A clear, soaring, stone-piercing cry of a falcon echoed throughout the entire hall!

gold light burst forth, and a magnificent giant Light Falcon, with wings spread several meters wide, appeared out of thin air, soaring in the middle of the hall.

It was none other than the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon!

As Lu Yuan leveled up, it was clearly much stronger!

Its feathers stood on end, as if cast from gold, and its body was entwined with visible, intricate gold electric arcs, emitting soft crackling sounds.

A fierce, domineering power of lightning, filled with destructive aura, instantly spread.

It had been cooped up in the card slot, feeling uncomfortable, so it went all out from the start!

That astonishing aura made Yao Cheng, the young man who had just walked in, flinch, and a serious expression appeared on his face.

What a powerful lightning-type beast!

The battle was about to begin!

That young man was indeed formidable, worthy of being a meticulously trained disciple of the Yao Family.

Seeing Lu Yuan summon the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon, he dared not be negligent in the slightest and quickly activated his own card.

"Roar!"

Accompanied by a deafening roar, a giant ape, three meters tall, with bulging muscles and dark gold fur, resembling a miniature King Kong, appeared in the arena.

It was precisely the third-tier four-star purple card—the Thick Earth Vajra Ape!

This ape excelled in strength and defense, combining offense and defense, making it a top-tier earth-attribute beast.

Right from the start, Yao Cheng commanded the Thick Earth Vajra Ape to launch a furious assault.

The giant ape clenched its fists, like two massive war hammers, bringing with them whistling winds, and smashed them fiercely towards the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon in mid-air!

At the same time, the ground trembled, and sharp earth spikes erupted from the ground, like a dense rain of arrows, stabbing towards the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon's flight path, attempting to block its evasion space.

However, the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon's speed was simply too fast!

It moved like a true gold lightning bolt, flexibly weaving between the giant ape's powerful punches and earth spikes, its movements unpredictable, leaving a trail of blurred afterimages.

Lu Yuan took a few steps back, his expression unusually calm, precisely judging every movement and attack intention of the Thick Earth Vajra Ape.

Each dodge was incredibly close, yet perfectly timed, always narrowly avoiding fatal attacks at the last possible moment.

Not only that, while the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon was dodging at high speed, as its wings flapped, condensed arcs of lightning continuously shot out from various tricky angles, accurately striking the Thick Earth Vajra Ape's joints, eyes, and other relatively weak defensive points.

Although the Thick Earth Vajra Ape was thick-skinned and these attacks couldn't cause fatal damage for now, the violent lightning power slowed its movements, repeatedly interrupting its attack rhythm, and also brought continuous paralyzing effects.

No sooner said than done, the battle lasted only half a minute.

Fine beads of sweat had already seeped onto Yao Cheng's forehead.

His proud Thick Earth Vajra Ape was now exhausted from the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon's kiting tactics, with several patches of its fur scorched black, letting out frustrated roars.

Lu Yuan's eyes narrowed; his Source Power was running low, so he needed to end it quickly!

The Thick Earth Vajra Ape's attack missed, its old strength exhausted and new strength not yet generated, creating a fleeting defensive opening!

Now!

"Caw—!"

The Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon let out an even higher, clearer cry!

It violently flapped its wings, its entire body transforming into a dazzling gold lightning spear, its speed instantly reaching its peak, like a meteor tearing through the sky, directly piercing the Thick Earth Vajra Ape's chest core, which had been attacked multiple times and whose defense had already loosened!

"Oh no!" Yao Cheng's face changed dramatically; he wanted to command the Thick Earth Vajra Ape to defend, but it was already too late!

"Pfft!"

A dull thud.

A pair of lightning claws, unstoppable, directly pierced through the Thick Earth Vajra Ape!

Violent lightning power erupted within its body!

"Ooh-aoh..."

The Thick Earth Vajra Ape let out a pained whimper, its massive body trembled violently a few times, and then, as if losing all support, it collapsed with a crash, turning into countless specks of starlight and dissipating into the air.

One hit, one kill!

After its victory, the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon circled in mid-air, letting out a triumphant cry, clearing away its previous frustration.

Then, it transformed into a gold light and disappeared into Lu Yuan's card slot.

Yao Zhenchuan looked at his defeated grandson, who stood rooted to the spot, looking somewhat dejected.

Then he turned his gaze to Lu Yuan, who was still calm and composed, not even breathing heavily.

He fell silent.

He was thinking.

Just as the atmosphere in the hall grew somewhat stagnant, and Yao Tianbi and Nickname worried for Lu Yuan, unsure how the Old Master would judge—

"Hahahahahahaha!"

Yao Zhenchuan suddenly burst into a hearty, resounding laugh that filled the entire hall!

"Good! Good! Good! What a truly magnificent Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon! What a Lu Yuan!"

The Old Master said "Good" three times in a row, showing his excitement.

The look in his eyes towards Lu Yuan was no longer one of scrutiny or pressure; instead, it was undisguised admiration and approval.

"Courageous, capable, calm in danger, neither arrogant nor impatient—he's a truly promising talent! Rare, truly rare!"

He turned to Yao Tianbi, a hint of teasing in his tone: "That boy Tian Xiao finally didn't misjudge this time! He's unearthed such an uncut gem for my Yao Family!"

Then he looked at Lu Yuan, his tone sincere:

"Young Friend Lu, I won't lie, Old Master.

Your performance just now, if it had disappointed me..."

"I would have personally killed you and taken your two gold cards."

"Don't be scared; this is how big families operate.

Only when the potential you show exceeds the value of your two gold cards..."

"...can you truly earn the Yao Family's trust."

"Congratulations, you've done it."

The Old Master mused for a moment, then continued:

"Tian Xiao told me everything.

First, I must thank you for the card you gave my Yao Family.

I originally intended to reclaim it."

"Tian Xiao was unwilling, which is why he didn't dare to return.

But now that I think about it, leaving it for Nickname is not out of the question."

"It can also be considered compensation from the family for the second branch."

The Old Master's attitude was a complete 180-degree turn!

The words he spoke astonished everyone.

Lu Yuan also felt a sense of lingering fear, unaware that he had just walked a tightrope between life and death.

These family powers, in their true nature, ultimately devour people whole.

Yao Zhenchuan raised his right hand and slipped off a simple, ancient-looking ring with intricate lightning patterns engraved on it, from his slightly rough finger.

He flicked his finger, and the ring transformed into a streak of light, flying precisely towards Lu Yuan.

"Boy, catch!"

Lu Yuan instinctively reached out and caught it.

The ring felt slightly heavy in his hand, and at the same time, a pure and powerful lightning aura emanated from it, causing the Heavenly Thunder Light Falcon in his card slot to subtly stir with excitement.

"This Thunder Ring was crafted from a rare material I obtained by chance during my travels in my early years.

It contains a trace of true lightning Source Power, which will be of great benefit to your cultivation of lightning-type cards.

In critical moments, it can also serve as an excellent star-up material."

Yao Zhenchuan stroked his beard and smiled, "Today, I shall bestow it upon you! It is an apology for earlier, and also aMeeting gift from me, an elder, to you!"

"Additionally,"

The Old Master's expression became a few shades more serious, "Regarding the Lost Water Realm, I will officially report your name shortly.

If you encounter an insurmountable opponent, my Canglan Yao Family will definitely assist you with all our might."

"But you must remember," Yao Zhenchuan's eyes grew fierce, "that little ant from the Lin Family has been quite active in the provincial city recently, seemingly colluding with the Zhou Family's dogs, pulling many shady stunts behind the scenes."

"According to some intelligence I've gathered, your two gold cards are still very tempting."

"So, both within the secret realm and during your time in the provincial city, you must be careful and cautious in all matters; do not be careless!"

Lu Yuan nodded, "This junior understands."

The Old Master's words not only represented his personal approval and high regard for Lu Yuan, but also formally brought him under the protection of the Yao Family!

Once the news officially spread, it would be enough to deter petty villains...