My exclusive card pool

Chapter 291 The Much-Anticipated Duel

'Anything above the title is considered exceeding the limit?'

Wang Xi pondered to himself.

Pushing beyond limits...

Yes, that's very much in line with the performance of a "Disaster Hunter" level combatant.

After "Mad Dance of the Primordial Beginning" is upgraded to the highest star level, its three enhancement branches are "Disaster Relief Bag", "Illusion-Breaking Golden Eyes", and "Treading on the Lotus Flower".

The effect of the "Disaster Relief Bag" is a further enhancement of the ability to "remove disease and disaster," and it can devour the disease, injury, and misfortune on the target.

"Insightful Eyes" has a very high priority effect on "evil spirits" and can immobilize, reveal, and track them.

"Treading on Lotus Blossoms" is an enhanced version of "Ascending to Pray for Blessings," possessing a unique "Good Luck" effect characteristic of the Mystic System. During the "Lion Dance," auspicious energy flows, automatically avoiding and deflecting most regular damage.

Wang Xi chose the third option.

——"Lotus Blossom in the New Year (Imprint)"

He examined his mind, where 52 imprints flickered, with a black vortex-shaped "cosmic movement" at the very center.

Next week is the duel day...

Wang Xi's eyes were deep and profound.

"Alchemist Mark Van, I'll use you as my testing ground. Let me see just how a 'Disaster Hunter' truly performs in combat."

...

...

Dongzhou University, training hall rest area.

Sweat soaked Li Wei's training clothes. He unscrewed the energy drink, took a big gulp, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Since his near-death experience in the "Mechanical City" disaster zone, he has been working even harder.

Surrounding me were several classmates who had also just finished sparring and were resting and chatting. The topic shifted from deck building and card practice techniques to some major news they had recently heard.

"Hey, have you guys heard?"

A bright-eyed student named Chen Rui lowered his voice, his face filled with barely suppressed excitement: "My elders at home have hinted that something big is about to happen in the professional warrior community!"

Li Wei wiped his sweat and casually asked, "What big news? Has a new disaster area been discovered?"

"This is way more exciting than that!"

Chen Rui scoffed.

"It's a challenge, a truly top-level challenge!"

"A challenge?" Li Wei scoffed. "Isn't friendly sparring a common occurrence among professional warriors? Why all the secrecy?"

Chen Rui leaned closer, lowering his voice even further: "Not ordinary professional warriors, but 'Disaster Hunters'!"

"Pfft—" Levi nearly spat out his drink, his eyes widening instantly. "A duel between 'Disaster Hunters'?!"

His heart skipped a beat.

Li Wei's father, as a prominent leader of a medium-sized group, had the privilege of attending several high-end banquets and meeting several imposing "Taiyu" seniors, who were figures he could only look up to with awe.

And "Disaster Hunt"...

He was practically a legendary figure.

As the "stabilizing force" of the Federation and the "guardian" of humanity, it is a real and effective strategic deterrent.

Even his father had difficulty getting in touch with him.

Why would such a high-ranking figure publicly challenge someone to a duel?

“It’s true, Li Wei.” Lin Wei, a female classmate standing next to him, nodded vigorously. “And we’ve even met one of them before.”

"You've seen him before?" Li Wei was even more confused.

Chen Rui smiled mysteriously, keeping everyone in suspense before revealing the answer: "Just recently, we almost perished in the 'Mechanical City' disaster zone... and then that young man suddenly appeared, saved us, and fought alongside Senior Chu Nai."

In an instant, the image of that calm and powerful young man flashed into Li Wei's mind.

"It's him?"

Chen Rui hummed in agreement: "I later asked around at home, and his name is Wang Xi. He's a newly registered 'Disaster Hunter,' number 60 on the 'Mountain and Sea Register,' and his title is—'Dragon Lord'!"

"..."

Li Wei opened his mouth wide, feeling a dryness in his throat.

That young man, who looked to be about the same age as them, was actually a "Disaster Hunter"!
Lin Wei added, "His challenge is to the powerful backer behind the Gear Consortium, Mr. Mark Van, the 'Alchemist' whose serial number in the 'Mountain and Sea Register' is 44th."

Li Wei remained silent for a while, calming himself down, before asking, "What's the time and place for the duel? I'd like to... go and take a look."

"Next Friday, Xuanzhou, in front of the 'Gladiator Arena' disaster zone!"

Chen Rui proudly waved the communicator on his wrist.

"As soon as the news spread, tickets to Xuanzhou were snapped up instantly, and prices skyrocketed. Even the Xuanzhou authorities were alarmed and implemented crowd control measures; without connections, it was impossible to get into the core viewing area."

Li Wei's heart sank.

But seeing the smug expression on Chen Rui's face, he instantly understood, patted the other man on the shoulder, and whispered:

"Ahem, that limited edition 'Stardust Fantasy' mecha maid you had your eye on last time, I've got it covered!"

Chen Rui chuckled and gave him a knowing look: "Okay, I'll save a seat for you."

...

...

Inside a silver shuttle bound for Xuanzhou.

Gu Li leaned back comfortably in the large seat, stretched out a big yawn, and his sunglasses slid down to the tip of his nose.

Looking at the sea of ​​clouds rushing past the porthole, he was filled with emotion: "Five years! Lingling, do you know how I've spent these past five years? This time, Weitai finally approved my leave, so I can finally get some fresh air."

Xia Ling, sitting next to him, rolled her eyes at him, flipping through a fashion magazine: "Going for some fresh air? Going to the 'Arena' disaster zone for some fresh air, huh..."

"It's on the way here."

Gu Li took off his sunglasses, leaned closer to his wife, and said with a smile, "That kid Wang Xi is challenging the guy behind the Gear Group to a fight... We're practically old acquaintances of his, so even if we don't go to support him, we should at least be there to cheer him on, right?"

Xia Ling paused in her flipping through the magazine, her expression somewhat complicated.

Who would have thought that the 'senior butler' at Cupid Housekeeping would rise to this position in such a short time, becoming someone the couple had to look up to?

She sighed softly, "Okay..."

To be honest, Xia Ling also wanted to go and see, to witness this rare "Disaster Hunt" battle.

Gu Li chuckled, put his sunglasses back on, and put his arm around his wife's shoulder: "Don't worry, after watching the battle, I'll take you on a tour of Xuanzhou, and then we'll head straight to Beizhou to see the snow-capped mountains."

...

...

Longcheng University dormitory.

Yu Zizi deftly stuffed a few changes of clothes and necessary equipment into her space-compressing backpack. Ning Meng, on the other hand, seemed a bit flustered, stuffing snacks and energy bars into her bag while scrolling through her phone.

“I said, if we dawdle any longer, we’ll miss the scheduled Silver Shuttle.”

Yu Zizi urged.

"Okay, I got it." Ning Meng didn't even look up, her fingers flying across the screen. "Tsk, as expected of a 'Disaster Hunter' level challenge, the Warrior Forum is in an uproar."

She finally zipped up her bag, moved closer to Yu Zizi, and said with a hint of worry on her face, "Do you think Wang Xi can win? I've seen the Gear Group hyping him up a lot lately in the media and on the Professional Warriors Forum, making Mark Van sound like a god..."

Yu Zizi stopped what she was doing and rolled her eyes at Ning Meng:
"You're underestimating Wang Xi. Would he initiate something he wasn't confident about? Especially not a public challenge with no way out..."

Ning Meng pouted and picked up her phone again: "There's been no word from Chu Nai at all. She's not replying to messages or answering calls... Her man is about to fight someone to the death."

As she spoke, she quickly sent several more messages.

Yu Zizi slung her backpack over her shoulder: "Don't worry, Chu Nai has her own plans... Let's go, let's get a good spot first, she'll definitely be there."

...

...

Time passes.

October 30th arrived quickly, the day of the duel.

Xuanzhou, a desolate wasteland.

The area in front of the "Arena" disaster zone was now bustling with activity, an unprecedented spectacle.

On the vast, dark red land, spectators from various cities and major forces across the Nine Provinces gathered in dense crowds.

Hovercrafts were parked all around, while silver shuttles of all sizes occupied the best view of the airspace, and a dense array of drones hovered in mid-air.

A giant, temporary metal grandstand stood majestically at the entrance to the disaster area, becoming the focus of attention. At the very front of the grandstand, Mr. Zhu Yi, the Secretary-General of Weitai, stood with his hands behind his back, dressed in a simple gray Zhongshan suit, his gray hair neatly combed.

His deep gaze swept over the dark mass of people below, his brow furrowing slightly. Wei Zhengyang, the deputy director of the Xuanzhou Observation Bureau, stood solemnly beside him in his crisp uniform.

"This challenge..." Zhu Yi's voice was low, carrying a hint of barely perceptible worry. "It's causing quite a stir."

Wei Zhengyang snorted, his gaze sweeping over the area with several mechanical ouroboros logos below the stands: "The Gear Group is fanning the flames, wanting the whole world to know, trying to use Mark Van to completely crush Wang Xi and get revenge." "The media campaign is going too far."

Zhu Yi nodded slightly and sighed, "Ultimately, it's a personal grudge, and Wei Tai can't directly intervene. But both are active-duty 'Disaster Hunters' registered with the Federation, and are important pillars in protecting humanity's borders."

"No matter which side suffers heavy losses here, it will be an immeasurable loss for us and for humanity as a whole."

Wei Zhengyang's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, Mr. Zhu. I will do my best to ensure that this duel is conducted within a controllable range, maintain order on site, and prevent any external interference."

In reality, that's all he can do.

Mr. Zhu Yi nodded again, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, and said nothing more.

at this time.

More than a dozen streaks of light streaked across the sky, like falling stars, carrying powerful energy fluctuations, and landed one after another on the stands.

Some landed smoothly in uniquely shaped aircraft, some tore through the air with their bare bodies and arrived with a whoosh, and some appeared silently as a streak of light.

Without exception, these people exuded a chilling sense of oppression; they were all "Taiyu" level powerhouses from various factions.

One of them, dressed in a white combat uniform with long hair, was none other than "White Bone Marquis" Fu Xinyi.

They nodded slightly to each other or talked in hushed tones, their eyes all fixed on the open space in front of the stands.

The atmosphere grew increasingly heavy.

"Mr. Zhu, Director Wei."

"haven't seen you for a long time."

"You've come too..."

"How could we miss such a grand event?"

All the "Grand Marshals" greeted Zhu Yi and Wei Zhengyang.

A short while later, the roar of a huge engine could be heard approaching from afar. A colossal silver shuttle, resembling an aerial fortress, tore through the clouds and slowly landed on the stands.

puff-

The hatch opened, and Zhang Yinglong, the principal of Kunwu Camp, stepped out first with steady steps. Behind him were four deans, including Rosa, and a group of mentors and students.

The nearly two hundred people stood solemnly, their momentum unstoppable.

Zhang Yinglong turned his head and gave Du Meijuan a few instructions, who then led the students aside. He, along with the four deans, walked towards the higher-ups.

Zhu Yi and Wei Zhengyang immediately went to greet them, their attitude noticeably more polite and attentive.

After all, these five people in front of us are all "Disaster Hunters"!
The leader, Zhang Yinglong, is not only the principal of Kunwu Camp, but also the "Chief Disaster Hunter Dong Lingzi" who is currently ranked 8th in the Federation!
A person's name, the shadow of a tree.

"Principal Zhang, and the four deans, welcome to Xuanzhou."

Wei Zhengyang smiled and extended his hand.

"I apologize for disturbing you, Director Wei." Zhang Yinglong shook hands with him, his voice calm yet authoritative. "And Mr. Zhu, it's been a long time."

"Yinglong, it has indeed been a long time."

Zhu Yi said with a smile.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Zhang Yinglong's gaze swept across the room like lightning, finally settling on the empty space opposite him, and he asked casually, "Where is Mark Van?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a golden arc appeared out of thin air on the metal floor not far from the stands.

In the blink of an eye, a complex alchemical array was formed.

hum-

Three figures appeared out of thin air in the center of the alchemy array, as if emerging from ripples in the water. The man in the lead was about thirty years old, with deep-set eyes, casually draped brown curly hair, and wearing a well-tailored dark gold robe. He was holding an ancient-looking metal cane.

It was none other than "The Alchemist" Mark Van.

Beside him were two figures: one clad in a deep blue robe, exuding an aura as unfathomable as the ocean; the other wore light silver armor reminiscent of a knight, appearing equally enigmatic.

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Zhang."

Mark Van's voice was flat and emotionless, revealing neither joy nor anger. He nodded slightly, as if to acknowledge Zhang Yinglong, Wei Tai, and the high-ranking officials of the Bureau, his posture conveying a sense of indifference and detachment.

"Storm King" Leo, "Secret Shield" Winston..."

Dean Rosa spoke calmly.

"Mr. Mark is in high spirits and has brought two friends ranked 42nd and 46th to witness the challenge."

The two "Disaster Hunters" who were called out smiled slightly and bowed to Rosa.

Their eyes met briefly in the air before they looked away without exchanging another glance.

The atmosphere in the stands was slightly eerie.

Shortly after, another green beam of light descended from the sky and landed on the stands.

As the light faded, the figure of a man in a red uniform and beret was revealed.

It was Ye Qihong from the "Signal Division," who had met Wang Xi once before. With a warm smile on his face, he walked straight towards Zhang Yinglong.

"Mr. Zhang, it's been a long time."

He extended his hand, his tone familiar.

Zhang Yinglong shook hands with him and said with a smile, "It really has been a long time. The last time we fought side by side in the No. 5 penalty area was three years ago... Time really flies."

His tone carried a hint of emotion.

Ye Qihong glanced around: "Normally, gathering these 'Taiyu' and 'Zaishou' who are always traveling around is practically impossible. I never expected today's challenge to turn into a mini-summit."

He said half jokingly.

Zhang Yinglong said solemnly, "Last time in the 'Mechanical City' disaster area, Wang Xi was ambushed by the bishop of the 'Etching Holy Mark Society,' and I thank you for your help."

Ye Qihong waved his hand: "Mr. Zhang, you're too kind. As a 'Disaster Hunter' from the Eastern Continent, this is what I should do... Besides, I quite admire that young man; otherwise, I wouldn't have come today."

Time passed by minute by minute.

The sun is gradually setting in the west.

The crowd below the stands began to stir, and hushed discussions spread like a tide.

Mark Van leaned on his metal cane, his gaze calmly fixed on the empty battlefield in the distance, as if admiring the scenery.

Finally, he slowly spoke: "Why hasn't Mr. Wang Xi arrived yet? If we delay any longer, it will be dark soon."

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the direction of Zhang Yinglong and the others.

Zhang Yinglong remained calm and had not yet responded.

suddenly.

hold head high--

A majestic and long dragon roar, without warning, tore through the silence of the Xuanzhou wilderness, rolling down from the heavens.

The crowd was instantly stunned.

Of the thousands of people present, whether they were top experts in the stands, high-ranking officials, or ordinary spectators eagerly waiting below, they all raised their heads in unison.

Amidst the rolling clouds high in the sky, a colossal black dragon's head loomed in and out of sight. Following closely behind was the dragon's body, winding like mountains and stretching over a hundred meters in length.

Rumble!
A real black dragon is weaving through the clouds.

On the dragon's head, a figure stood against the wind, his posture as straight as a spear, the hem of his black trench coat fluttering in the gale.

A clear voice echoed across the wilderness:

"Mark Van, let's fight!"

The sound shook the surrounding fields and soared to the heavens.

A subtle change finally appeared on Mark Van Nass's usually impassive face.

He scoffed, "Trying to attract attention."

Duh!
Mark lightly tapped the metal stands beneath his feet with his metal cane. A dark gold alchemical array, less than a meter in diameter and composed of countless complex geometric lines and runes, bloomed, flashing with light.

His figure then disappeared from the spot.

The next moment, they appeared in the center of the open space below, which was the focus of countless eyes.

At the same time, the black dragon in the clouds let out a deafening roar, its massive body stirring up the wind and clouds as it swooped down with the force of thunder.

The figure on the dragon's head looked like a god descending from heaven.

Wang Xi arrived riding a dragon!

The black dragon lowered its head and calmly leaped onto the ground. Once Wang Xi had steadied himself, his gaze sharpened as he stared directly at his opponent not far ahead.

"In this battle, there are no rules, and no regard for life or death."

Wang Xi said calmly.

Mark clasped his hands together, resting them on the top of his metal cane, without even lifting his eyelids: "Do as you please."

The entire audience held their breath.

(End of this chapter)