My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

The magical aura on the parchment had not yet completely dissipated, and Fernand and his group's arrogant figures had already disappeared at the end of the playground.

The students who had been watching the spectacle gradually dispersed when they realized there was nothing more to see.

However, their gazes toward Xiu Qi now held a hint of curiosity and scrutiny.

Meanwhile, the unconventional mage apprentice who had become the center of attention was carefully folding his contract and putting it into his inner pocket.

He carefully folded the contract, as if it were not a flimsy piece of parchment, but a certificate of spoils already in his hands.

Xiuqi's sly smile had vanished, replaced by his usual languid demeanor.

"Thank you, Mr. Kyle!"

"Xiuqi, you're being too impulsive."

Mr. Kyle did not leave; his brow was furrowed, and his tone was worried.

"Fernan's background and strength are not that simple."

"You shouldn't have agreed to his duel challenge..."

The middle-aged knight's gaze drifted, as if lost in memories, and a deep sense of apprehension appeared on his face.

"【Magic Missile】is an unstoppable force in actual combat; no one can dodge it."

"Fernan's magic power has reached the level of a first-level mage. He can cast [Magic Missile] twice, and with the support of his expensive magical equipment, it's quite possible he can cast it three times!"

"Three rounds of magic missiles are enough to kill you three times over!"

Feeling the other person's concern, Xiuqi returned a sincere smile to the kind Knight Academy teacher;

"Thank you for your concern, Mr. Kyle. I understand the risks involved."

His gaze fell on the still somewhat restless "princess" in his arms.

The little creature seemed still furious about the insults the other party had just said; its pointed ears twitched incessantly, and it gripped the thick wooden stick in its hand even tighter.

"But some boundaries are inviolable."

Xiu Qi slowly raised his head, his face bearing an inscrutable expression;

"Teacher Kyle, what do you think is the most important thing for a true mage?"

Kyle paused for a moment, then slowly replied:

"An understanding of the essence of arcane magic? Or powerful mental strength?"

"It's a victory."

"As long as you keep winning, you won't lose!"

Xiu Qi's expression was calm, but his tone carried an indomitable spirit.

"Live, and always win."

"As for what method to use, it doesn't matter."

Thank you for your help today!

He bowed to Coach Kyle to say goodbye and turned to leave the practice area.

The "princess" tilted her little head, hoisted the thick wooden stick onto her shoulder, and followed Xiuqi's pace in two steps at a time.

Sunlight streamed through the columns, lengthening their shadows.

Mr. Kyle stood there, gazing at the tall and short figures from behind, lost in thought for a long time.

He pondered Xiuqi's words, feeling that they made some sense, but upon closer examination, they seemed to have said nothing at all.

"I really can't understand apprentices these days."

Mr. Kyle stroked the stubble on his chin and muttered to himself.

He shook his head and ultimately decided to report the matter to the college's arbitration office for record-keeping.

Now that a magical contract has been signed, this duel is unstoppable.

All he could do was ensure the duel was conducted under the academy's guidance, minimizing casualties as much as possible.

......

Instead of heading straight back to their dormitory, Xiuqi and "Princess" turned towards the academy's commercial street.

Today is a memorable day for him, as he went from having only 3 silver coins in his pocket to becoming a millionaire with assets of nearly a thousand gold coins—to be precise, 625 gold coins.

He only took an hour.

As an apprentice who has suddenly become rich after a long period of poverty, I now have a very good reason to spend money—to arm and improve myself.

The commercial street of the Royal Academy of Solma is a place that students jokingly call "purgatory of dreams and reality".

In the very center is a wide stone-paved avenue shrouded in a floating sphere of light.

In the middle of the avenue stands a huge, ancient oak tree, said to be three hundred years old.

A delicate, mixed fragrance permeated the street, likely originating from the plants on both sides—moonlight grass and thin-leaved lily of the valley, two expensive herbs.

Xiuqi stopped at a rather impressive-looking shop.

[Sapphire Merchant Guild Solma Royal Academy Branch]

A massive, high-arched portico constructed of deep blue crystals was inlaid with blue star runes that emitted a soft, magical glow.

There were no guards at the entrance, but a faint magical fluctuation could be clearly felt, which should be coming from the protective magic array.

He stroked the obsidian magic crystal card in his pocket and strode inside.

The shop has two floors. The crystal display case on the first floor is filled with all kinds of magical items, including alchemy materials, potions, cards, and even some magical equipment that looks very valuable.

The air was filled with the delicate fragrance of roses and irises, and several shop assistants in matching blue uniforms were serving customers at the counter.

Xiuqi attracted attention as soon as he stepped into the store; his unconventional combination of bringing an unusually clean goblin was certainly eye-catching.

"Welcome to the Sapphire Merchant Guild, esteemed guest. How may I help you?"

A young and beautiful female shop assistant greeted me with a smile.

Her gaze swept lightly over Xiuqi's simple linen trousers and Arcane Academy robes, without any hint of disdain; her face remained full of a sweet smile.

Xiu Qi directly pulled out the obsidian magic crystal card that emitted a dark luster and displayed it without any concealment.

The moment the pretty female shop assistant saw the card, her smiling mouth gaped open in astonishment, wide enough to fit an egg.

Her eyes immediately became clearer;

"Please forgive my rudeness, Your Excellency! What do you need?"

"I want to see blank magic cards."

Please come with me.

The female shop assistant bowed and led Xiuqi to a relatively separate area where magic cards of various sizes and qualities were displayed.

From the most basic one-star white common quality cards to two-star cards that emit a faint green glow...

There were even a few three-star cards that were displayed separately inside small protective shields, radiating powerful energy fluctuations.

The prices of different cards naturally vary greatly.

Xiuqi's gaze fell directly on the cheapest blank card, which cost 5 silver coins each.

"Our guild is a merchant house under the Royal Bank of Silver City. As a holder of the highest-level Obsidian Card, you can enjoy a 10% discount when purchasing blank cards, which is 4 silver coins and 10 copper coins per card."

"Furthermore, you have a credit limit of up to 1000 gold coins."

The beautiful female shop assistant's voice grew even sweeter as she introduced Xiuqi to the shop.

4 silver and 10 copper coins, cheaper than the original price of 5 silver coins from the previous magic shop owner, but it probably wasn't the bottom price.

There's still a credit limit of 1000 gold coins!

There are too many! There are really too many!

Xiu Qi felt his heart surge with excitement, but on the surface he remained calm.

He estimated that if he used 25 gold to buy blank cards at that price, he could buy 111 cards.

"I am a card maker and I need to purchase a large number of blank magic cards."

"At least a thousand tickets are needed each year, and the demand will increase year by year..."

"We can sign a magic contract, and I hope to get the most favorable price!"

Xiu Qi wanted to use his status as a user of the Obsidian Magic Crystal Card to get the best price from this large trading company with numerous branches throughout the kingdom.

"Okay, please wait a moment. I'll go ask the store manager!"

After the female shop assistant left, Xiuqi began to carefully examine the various cards in the display window.

The magic cards displayed in the window are mostly from the Evocation, Transmutation, and Conjuration schools, with a small number from the Protection, Illusion, and Prophecy schools.

There are only a handful of cards that involve summoning, and not a single card from the Necromancer school.

Xiuqi stared intently at one of the ordinary white cards.

One second, two seconds...

A semi-transparent panel appeared before his eyes:

......

Summon Magical Pets

[Type: Spellcasting School]

[Rank: One Star]

[Quality: White, Standard]

Usage count: 3/3

[Description: You will receive a magical pet to serve you for 12 hours.]

[Note: You will be randomly assigned one of the following to become your magical pet: bat, cat, crab, frog, eagle, lizard, octopus, owl, snake, mouse, raven, seahorse, spider, or weasel.]

......

Although both are one-star cards, my "Princess" is clearly much stronger, and it has no limit on the number of uses or time.

He had a vague feeling that the cards he created might be unique in the world.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with gray hair and wearing a very neatly pressed uniform came out, followed by the beautiful female shop assistant.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!"

The middle-aged store manager bowed slightly to Xiu Qi, and while sizing him up, said respectfully:

"We have complete confidence in your creditworthiness, and there is no need to sign a magic contract..."

"You can enjoy a premium discount if you purchase more than 200 magic cards in a single transaction at our store or any other branch in the kingdom!"

"Each blank magic card is available for a limited time..."

"3 silver and 15 bronze!!!"

As the middle-aged store manager finished speaking, the surroundings fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Xiuqi could almost hear the rapid beating of his own heart.

It's even more affordable than the wholesale price of 1000 cards at that store. No wonder it's a major merchant house under the Royal Bank of Silver City.

Indeed impressive.

Sorry, the owner of the first card shop...

The discounts they offer here are just too many!