66: Chapter 66 So get ready to receive guests.

He raised his left hand and pointed at Li Qingyue, "However, I have one condition. Since it's a challenge, don't drag the Sanctuary's name into this. I don't want outsiders to know that a retired Sword Saint went to bully a junior—if word gets out, I'll have nowhere to hide my old face."

"So?"

"I'll go in disguise."

Sword Saint Lu Changsheng said, taking a mask from the storage compartment on the side of his wheelchair. It was the face of an extremely ordinary middle-aged man, with plain features that would be impossible to pick out if thrown into a crowd.

"Give me your disciple's address. I'll change my identity to go meet him. I'll leave right after the fight. No one will know the whole time."

Li Qingyue looked at the mask.

"Fine."

"Then it's settled."

Sword Saint Lu Changsheng wiped the mask across his face. After a faint ripple of magic power, the old man in the wheelchair transformed into a square-faced man in his forties with ordinary features. Even his voice became a bit rougher.

"What's your disciple's name?"

"Su Bai."

"Where does he live?"

"Jinghai Card Creator Academy, sophomore dormitory area; you can find the specific building yourself."

"Any distinguishing features?"

"Distinguishing features, hmm—"

Li Qingyue tilted her head. A rare, subtle expression appeared on her small face.

"You should be able to recognize him when you see him."

Sword Saint Lu Changsheng did not press for more. He steered his wheelchair toward the door, the magic drive at the base emitting a faint hum. He stopped at the doorway and looked back at Li Qingyue.

"Old hag."

"Hmm."

"You said earlier that if you lost, I'd have to agree to one thing—it won't be anything outrageous, will it?"

"You'll find out."

Li Qingyue's voice returned to its cold indifference.

But her fingers tapped lightly on the windowsill. It was a habitual action that only appeared when she was thinking. Sword Saint Lu Changsheng had known her for decades, so he naturally noticed.

But he didn't think much of it. Because for a ninth-rank Sword Saint to fight a second-rank Card Creator—

How could he lose?

The wheelchair rolled out of the Sanctuary's recuperation area gate.

The humming of the magic drive echoed in the corridor.

Only when the sound completely disappeared at the end of the hall did the mask of indifference on Li Qingyue's face finally drop.

She looked down at her fingertips.

Just now, the moment Sword Saint Lu Changsheng slammed the Heroic Spirit Awakening Card onto the armrest, she had caught another glimpse.

This time she saw it more clearly; at the base of the card's elemental circuit, there was an entire sequence of node arrangements for a Space Folding framework, completely homologous to the third physical axis of Su Bai's Seven-Axis Circuit.

The other party had made five modifications: two in the node sequence, and three in the arc of the magic power conduction corners—it was modified quite brilliantly.

If you were to take any single part out for a patent comparison, it would be rejected because the "similarity does not reach the infringement threshold."

This was not a reverse engineering project that the Gate of the Underworld could complete on its own.

Li Qingyue knew exactly what level the Gate of the Underworld's card creation department was at.

The strongest Card Creator in that guild was only sixth-rank; they couldn't even understand the basic framework of Su Bai's Seven-Axis Circuit. To understand it, then perform a downgrade modification, bypass copyright protection, and then encapsulate it into a complete seventh-rank SS-grade card—

Relying solely on themselves.

Impossible.

There was someone behind it.

A very high-level expert. High enough to fully grasp Su Bai's theory in just a few short days, and then repackage it into another card.

Or—the Abyss was the one behind it.

"Gate of the Underworld." Li Qingyue chewed on the name, her voice cold enough to frost the window glass, "Where is your source of goods from?"

This was another reason why she suggested Sword Saint Lu Changsheng challenge Su Bai.

If Sword Saint Lu Changsheng knew the true nature of this card—knew that it essentially plagiarized the theory of that "magical girl card creator"—what would his reaction be? Anger and humiliation? Stubborn denial? Or complete disillusionment?

If he didn't know, then he was just being used as a tool; someone had deliberately shoved this card into his hands, letting a disabled ninth-rank Sword Saint act as a lab rat.

Testing not only the success rate of the Heroic Spirit fusion but also the reverse compatibility of Su Bai's space theory.

Either way.

Li Qingyue needed to see it with her own eyes. As for whether Su Bai would be in danger... Li Qingyue had long since prepared a contingency; in fact, ever since the previous attack from the Abyss, Li Qingyue had left a contingency on Su Bai, and if necessary, she could teleport to Su Bai's side instantly.

She pulled her phone from her sleeve, opened Penguin, and tapped on a chat box labeled [Good Disciple].

She typed.

[Li Qingyue]: [Su Bai.]

[Li Qingyue]: [Someone will come to find you today. He will be in disguise and claim to be a wandering swordsman passing by for a spar. Do not expose him.]

[Li Qingyue]: [When he fights you, remember to transform.]

She sent it.

The other side replied instantly.

[Su Bai]: [?]

[Su Bai]: [Master, what kind of script have you arranged for me again?]

[Li Qingyue]: [It's not a script, it's a practical combat test.]

[Su Bai]: [Last time, Director He also said it was a practical combat test. He lost a third of his hair after going back. They say it was from the shock of a flashbang.]

[Li Qingyue]: [The test subject this time is quite special.]

[Su Bai]: [How special?]

Li Qingyue thought for a moment.

[Li Qingyue]: [He once said something. 'I'd rather jump off this building, rot in this wheelchair, and be eaten by monsters than ever cross-dress.']

[Su Bai]: [.]

[Su Bai]: [Master. If I understand correctly—the person you're talking about is Wang Jingze.]

[Li Qingyue]: [Who is Wang Jingze? Never mind, he is disguised now, he doesn't know who you are, and he doesn't know about the Magical Girl matter. However, his talent is extremely strong, ridiculously strong; if he can be won over by you, he will definitely be a great help to you. The only thing to worry about is that his current strength is at the seventh rank...]

[Su Bai]: [Seventh rank!? Oh, my god, Master, do you know what rank your disciple is now? Second rank? Not even second rank!! I'm only level nineteen!! So you arranged a seventh-rank old geezer with a hidden identity as my opponent!]

[Li Qingyue]: [Rest assured, he will suppress his strength; it's impossible for him to bully the small. His character is trustworthy...]

[Li Qingyue]: [Besides, can't you transform? My original intention was to let him witness just how strong a real Magical Girl is. You know that your card is difficult to promote; although Deputy Commander Xiao Hongyan is a good choice, she is a military representative and cannot promote it for you on a large scale. But this person is different; he is a former hero and has high prestige. If you can win against him, it will be good for both you and him.]

The other side was silent for about ten seconds.

[Su Bai]: [Master, you are pushing him into a fire pit.]

It was hard to imagine how much his self-confidence would be crushed if he were truly defeated by a little girl...

Just thinking about it made Su Bai shudder.

What a terrible humiliation!

However, could he really defeat a character like that? It probably wasn't very likely... right?

No, maybe it was possible; after all, he wasn't a normal person himself right now...

Su Bai muttered to himself.

[Li Qingyue]: [What do you mean fire pit? This is helping him break his inner demon.]

[Su Bai]: [Breaking an inner demon with cross-dressing?]

[Li Qingyue]: [As long as it's effective. You haven't used up your specific causal interference right yet, just thank me.]

[Su Bai]: [That wish right is more valuable than a ninth-rank Rainbow Card. I'm saving it to save my life.]

[Li Qingyue]: [Then get ready to receive a guest.]

[Su Bai]: [??? Is your choice of words not quite right? What do you mean by receiving a guest?]

Li Qingyue did not reply.

She tucked her phone back into her sleeve. She walked barefoot to the window, gazing at the distant, continuous snow-capped mountains.

The corners of her lips curled up slightly.

"...Old Lu, oh Old Lu. Don't blame me. Who told you to be so stubborn."

Outside the window, a wheelchair was slowly moving along the aerial corridor leading to the teleportation array. The disguised old man in the wheelchair sneezed.

It was probably because the mountain wind was too cold.

He thought.

Completely unaware of what he was about to face.

Exactly what it was.