Forge a path to success

“He’s the reincarnation of Lord Yinglong, and such a prodigy who can tear apart the Heavenly Prison. Naturally, your Huilong City can’t be protected.” Huan Ge nodded. “This move is prudent! But… Jing Sha is not the same as before.”

Ji Qiufeng said solemnly, "I have heard about the bill, but is the public sentiment in Jingzhou really so volatile?"

Trek shook his head repeatedly upon hearing this.

“You old codger, you’ve been stuck in the city for twenty years, you’re too used to wartime tactics… In your Longquan Township’s parlance, Jing Sha is ‘peaceful for too long’! People’s eyes have never been on the battlefield, and citizens who are used to living in their own little worlds, what ‘popular support’ do they have?”

Huan Ge sighed: "Fools who have been numbed by comfort."

Ji Qiufeng nodded: "The local leaders all expected this. I went to Mansa Star Castle a few days ago and met with the commander-in-chief with a letter."

Upon hearing this, Trek began to laugh: "'Gao Mu' said something? Let me guess... 'The final outcome of this matter must be decided by law and the system. As the captain of the Divine Guard, I have no right to interfere with the will of the people.'"

Ji Qiufeng also laughed: "Let's make our tone even more forceful."

"That rigid fellow is bound by his own 'law'," Huan Ge said angrily. "That's how the Path of Floating Light is; people are bound by their own machines and rules, and the higher they go, the more rigid they become. Sigh!"

"Is it really appropriate to say this in front of my Holy Grail?" Trek squinted. "If you want to be free from constraints, you'll have to be like me, with a frustrating and unsuccessful career."

Huan Ge's face turned blue: "Hey! I didn't! Hey!"

"Since things have come to this, Senior Brother Huan, you should punish yourself with three cups of wine."

"I'll punish myself with thirty cups of wine!"

"Are you trying to drink me to death?!"

After Huan Ge finished his ten cups of wine as punishment, the bottle was already half empty. Ji Qiufeng put down his empty bowl of noodles and suddenly became serious.

"I'm now at level 6. I came to Jing Sha thinking that even if I couldn't persuade the captain, I could at least be a support for you. But things have changed too quickly, and I have to head back to the city tomorrow."

Trek said "Oh," and then asked, "What's the reason?"

"The experiment at Dustless Land has made progress. One of their newest geniuses has brought back intelligence about Blood Plains," Ji Qiufeng said. "In addition, now that the Wilderness has been breached and Heavenly Prison is no longer inaccessible, opening a safe passage has become feasible."

"This is a blessing for the world!" Huan Ge put down his wine cup and said excitedly, "Ji Qiufeng, you must not forget the priorities. Even if the villains in Jing Sha cause chaos and turn the world upside down, it's just a mess in one city or one state. But the battle in Tianyu concerns the lives of all people. Haven't you seen how, on the day the evil god died, billions of demons were buried with him, and how many lives were saved?"

Cui Ke also became serious for once: "Huan Ge is right this time... You, Youyou, and Jiewen were originally there to open up the sea and build the city in order to counterattack Tianyu. This is the heaviest burden on your shoulders, and you cannot abandon it."

Moreover, the technology of the Dustless Land is still far behind that of the Empire. Even if we seize the initiative, it's only a matter of time before the Empire of Truth replicates it through information flow. If you don't act soon, I'm afraid that by the time the main force assembles in two or three years, the Blood Plains will already be Empire territory..."

Huan Ge shrank back: "Can you please not say such terrible things?! We've already prepared ourselves mentally for the war against the Desire Demon, but if the real machines take over the Heavenly Prison, that would be truly deadly!"

"You should always think of the worst-case scenario," Trek said dismissively.

"Why can't you think of something positive? Blood Plains might have already been almost completely destroyed by my White Wolf nephew..."

"Relying on Hunxingzhe alone isn't enough," Trek shook his head. "By then, there will be a result regarding Jing Sha, and we can go into Heavenly Prison with the kids too!"

Huan Ge was shocked: "Why are you saying I'm like a student who has repeated a grade?!"

"It's alright, it's alright. Uncle Trek, I'm just a point 5 at my age," Trek comforted him.

"Uncle Trek? I'm clearly older than you!"

Ji Qiufeng watched his old friends bicker with a smile, and after they calmed down, he said, "Actually, in my opinion, there is no need to suppress one's strength... Being able to enter the Heavenly Prison for a battle is certainly worthy of the cultivation of one's teachers, but after advancing to level 6, things are very different from before, and one can provide more assistance. I think if I were still a mortal cultivator, neither Huaisu, Hengkong, nor Lord Yinglong would have been able to survive to this day."

Huan Ge and Cui Ke both fell silent, and for a moment only sighs could be heard.

They had known each other for a long time and shared a deep friendship, all because they were part of the same plan... the grand plan of counterattacking Blood Plains that Ji Qiufeng had once shouldered. Otherwise, how could Huan Ge have so easily produced a relic like the Kanglong Spear? This weapon, of extremely high quality yet deliberately compressed to a medium mass point, was a battle weapon forged by Longquan Township specifically to challenge Blood Plains.

First, the divine kingdom fell, then the heretics besieged the city, and now even Jing Sha's rear base seems to be on the verge of collapse. Even if they reunite today, they can no longer be as carefree and joyful as they were twenty years ago.

They are no longer children; they are adults, elders, and leaders who need to step forward in critical moments. Now, their primary duty is to protect the "youngsters" who charge into battle and lead from the front. The divine weapons forged for war, often left unused, are better entrusted to young people who have earned their service.

“How could I not know this principle?” Huan Ge sighed. “But I’ve been bogged down in official duties these past years, and without realizing it, I’ve lost the fighting spirit I once had. Coupled with the chaotic situation, I’m now unable to make a ‘choice’… And Cui Ke has been unable to advance because of the past, sitting in the third line of command for twenty years. If he were the captain, how could Jing Sha…!”

"I'm already very satisfied that I wasn't expelled. It's so nice to be a captain who just slacks off." Trek was still cheerful. "Besides, 'Gaomu' is a good person. Jing Sha can handle anything. Ji Qiufeng, you can go back without worry."

Ji Qiufeng nodded and smiled, "I feel bad coming empty-handed like this. Heng Kong Huaisu and the others will be staying for a while, so feel free to go to them if you need anything."

"Well, you old rascal, you're using your daughter's apprentice as a favor!"

"What a despicable father!"

"It's alright, it's alright. If anything really happens, they'll always be the first to rush in."

The night was deep, but the clinking of glasses continued unabated. The older men didn't drink quickly; they always had plenty to say before they finished their drinks.

·

At the same time, somewhere in the city-state.

Fenya—no, Yinglong—suddenly awoke to find herself deep within lush vegetation. Here, light and shadow intertwined, blurring the distinction between day and night. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, creating a crisp, clear sound.

"Youming, would you consider yourself an ancient dragon or a divine tree now?"

“The Sakura Dragon Netherworld is long dead; it is now nothing more than an unnamed bud,” the Sakura Dragon replied.

The voice of the plants and trees rang out again: "It's fortunate that you cultivated the path of reincarnation, otherwise even if the cherry blossom tree sacrificed itself to save you, you wouldn't have had a chance."

"Perhaps we should be more grateful that the Funeral God still remembers our past friendship," Sakura Dragon said with a wry smile. It pondered for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Why is there still a demonic aura? Haven't your injuries healed yet?!"

“It has long since become one with me! If Karl Sord were still here, he might have been able to cure me… It’s a pity he had a moment of weakness and stopped helping me afterward.”

Sakura Dragon said worriedly, "If the colorless elements are integrated into your order, demons will always be able to easily enter and leave the city-state, which will eventually be a hidden danger."

"How can this not be a blessing in disguise?" the voice of the plants remained leisurely. "There are plenty of hidden dangers; one more won't make a difference. Let's see what the demons are up to first."

·

Late at night, at the dock.

The lighthouse searchlight swept across the empty sea, and two inconspicuous black dots flashed among the churning foam.

There were two people walking on the sea, one tall and one short. They walked on the waves as easily as if they were walking on flat ground. When they stepped onto the dock, the shorter man impatiently tapped his heels, while the taller man patted his clothes.

“It is an honor to travel with you,” he said. “Thanks to you, I was able to come so easily.”

"That's none of my business," the short man said impatiently. "Ever since the colorless one came, no city-state has been able to defend itself against demons."

"The place where great monarchs once roamed is truly a place that stirs the heart..."

The ambitious demon looked up, his gaze passing through the branches and leaves, drifting towards another land above the clouds.

“It looks like it can stand very high!” he said cheerfully.

Chapter 297 Fierce Duelists

Spotlights illuminated the chessboard-like arena, and the audience watched intently, holding their breath. This was the final round of the 32-player duel, to determine the champion. The duelists' decks were inserted into a metal machine, and their hands were dealt… The word "Start" flashed in the center of the arena!

"I'll go first, draw a card." Gulibo raised a card and slammed it down. "I summon a Level 2 Plant of War - Cabbage-pult Bo!"

The card's illustration is magnified to form a projection, showing a spirited cabbage-shooting pitcher standing in the front row. Attack power 1500. Gulibo then plays another card face down: "Cannot attack on the first turn, then I set a card face down, end the turn, boo."

"My turn—!"

At the other end of the dueling arena, Ji Huaisu drew a card with what looked like a forceful motion, slapping it down without even looking at it: "I activate the War Spell, Shadow Strike."

"You didn't even look at your hand?!"

"True duelists are in sync with their decks, needing no mere sight!"

As Ji Huaisu played the card, shadows shifted across the dueling arena, and Cabbage Thrower was immediately swallowed by the shadows. Gulibo remained calm and responded: "At this moment, I activate Cabbage Thrower's effect. When this fighter is destroyed, inflict 1000 damage to the opposing duelist."

A large cluster of cabbage phantoms shot out from the shadow vortex, and Ji Huaisu, who was hit, was surrounded by illusory winds, and her health points dropped to 3000. Gulibo immediately raised its claws, and the face-down card from the previous turn rose up, with a plant sprouting from the soil drawn on the card.

“Then I activate the strategic spell, Plant Rebirth. This card can be activated when a Plant-related Fighter leaves your field or your opponent's field; Special Summon 1 Level +1 Plant Fighter from your Deck.” Gulibo deftly flipped open his deck. “What I’m summoning is—a Level 3 War Plant—Willow Man Bo!”

Where the cabbage fell, new shoots sprouted, and a massive willow giant leaped from the ground. Its attack power reached a staggering 3000 points!

"The strongest low-level war plant has arrived!" "As expected of Gulibo, he summoned a powerful fighter using a chain attack." "This means the next round will be the decisive one!"

The audience buzzed with discussion, and Gulibo proudly puffed out his nose. But at that moment, Ji Huaisu slammed another card onto the duel disk!

"Gulibo, you seem to have forgotten that I haven't performed a normal summon this turn~"

“How could an ordinary low-quality fighter possibly defeat my Willow Man Bo!” Guli Bo said smugly.

“That’s not necessarily true,” Ji Huaisu laughed. “I’ll summon a level 1 Glimmering Warrior.”

A frail-looking fighter wielding a small ball of light appears (attack power 500). Gulibo laughs loudly: "It would have been better not to summon him at all—"

“Then, I used Glimmering Warrior to absorb the shadow elements of Shadow Strike and level up to Summon!” Ji Huaisu slapped another Warrior card from his hand. “Come forth, Level 3, Purifying Judge!”

The Glimmering Warrior raised the orb of light, and the shadows flowing through the arena surged towards it. Absorbing the power of the light and shadow, the warrior transformed into a muscular man wielding a flaming longsword! Its attack power is 2500 points!

Gulibo jumped up and down in a panic: "No way! We've used up all those spell cards, there's no such rule!!"

"A Fighter Card Upgraded and Summoned using Glimmering Warrior as material gains an additional 1,500 ATK." The ATK of Purifying Judge becomes 4000. "Furthermore, when this card destroys an opponent's Fighter in battle, it inflicts damage to the opponent's Duelist equal to the destroyed Fighter's ATK."

"What did you say?!"

Ji Huaisu waved his hand: "Battle! Fire Judges, attack the Willow People! Flame Slash!"

A flash of light from the judge, and the Willow Man instantly turned to charcoal and collapsed. Gulibo's 4000 health points were reduced by 1000 to 3000, leaving him with zero health. The duel ended!

Ji Huaisu happily made a gesture: "I won! What a delightful duel!"

Gulibo was furious: "That's a foul, Bo! Why can Fighter Cards reuse Spell Cards that have already been used, Bo!"

Ji Huaisu threw out a ball of shadow, and after it almost dissipated, she snapped her fingers. The faint shadow swiftly returned to her fingertip and swayed.

"Although it's not written on the card, it's something you can do in real life."

Gulibo threw the duel disk on the ground and lay down: "Bullshit! I don't want to play anymore!"

"Guli Bo's winning streak has finally ended." "Even magic can't beat bluffing!" "Playing cards as a promoted player is so much more exciting!"

The lights came on, revealing the lobby of the Seafood Bookstore, where the surrounding animals were laughing and joking. The Poison Otter strolled over, patted its paws, and said, "So, this month's Seafood Bookstore competition has come to a successful close. Let's congratulate our two contestants. The champion's prize is a Legendary Card 'Fat Seal,' and the runner-up's prize is a set of 'City-State Animals' themed card mats. Please, store manager, present the awards."

The giant seal came over with a splattering sound, first handing Ji Huaisu a fighter card with a round seal drawn on it and a cream puff, then giving Gulibo a card holder and a small bag of plant seeds. Gulibo immediately beamed with joy, forgetting about the outcome of the competition, and went out to plant flowers.

Ji Huaisu proudly held up the card for a photo: "I won first place in my first competition. I really am a talented player."

Vande slapped his tentacles: "Captain Ji used the advantage of the Pure Fire to defeat the small animals, showing the style of a famous general from ancient times."

"Screw you!"

"The champion hit someone! The champion hit someone!"

Chu Hengkong, who was watching the commotion from the sidelines, asked, "Is this a local board game?"

"It's called 'Ultimate Battle,' a trading card game that's sold very well in recent years." Poison Otter smiled as he counted the money. "This deck was even officially released by the Divine Guard..."

The so-called Ultimate Battle is a collectible card game from the Fifth Order. Ultimate Battle cards are divided into two categories: "Fighter Cards," which can summon combat units, and "Spell Cards," which can exert various wonderful effects during the game.

The overall game rules are similar to those of Yu-Gi-Oh! on Earth, but have been simplified for easy learning. Fighter cards only have attack power, and there are only three ways to summon: normal summon once per turn, special summon achieved by card effects, and upgrade summon that can only be performed after meeting specific conditions.

In the entertainment-rich city-state of Jingsha, such a simple game should theoretically not last long and would quickly be eliminated by popular trends. However, Ultimate Battle became an instant hit after its release. This is because the game's cards are based on the three paths to advancement, and both fighters and spells have real-world prototypes. For example, Gulibo's War Plant deck is derived from the plant weapons within Jingsha, while Ji Huaisu's Supreme Beginner deck is based on the characteristics of regular Supreme Path Ascenders.

There are also a small number of expensive "Legendary Cards" that are modeled after real-life Legendary Ascendants and can only be obtained by winning a major tournament.

Most citizens of the city-state are civilians and small animals with no fighting ability. The Ultimate Battle allows them to indulge in a chaotic brawl of Ascendants at the card table, making it naturally very popular. However, there are also true Ascendants among the duelists, as this deck contains hidden effects…

“Although the cards all have their own effects or descriptions, duelists can also infuse their own thoughts into them,” Ji Huaisu explained enthusiastically. “By injecting their own personal experiences, they can create entirely new effects on the cards. The rulebook specifically mentions this ‘exception’ because it is also possible in reality.”

Chu Hengkong also became a little interested: "In other words, experienced people in real life will become stronger at the card table."

"These are very unreasonable rules!" Gulibo protested loudly. "They're extremely unfair to those of us who honestly play according to the rules!"

Just as the big seal was about to sneak out to steal some dessert, it turned back and held up its sign upon hearing this: "I remember that War Plants were originally cards that required specific conditions to summon, but why can you summon them instantly, Gulibo?"

"Is that so?" Gulibo asked blankly. "Manager, you must be mistaken. Growing plants is a very simple thing."

Vande specifically found a Willow Man card, and upon seeing the two long lines of summoning conditions on it, he immediately slapped the card on Gulibo's forehead: "I bet you're the first one to spout nonsense, boo boo!"

"I'm not kidding, this is exactly how the card worked when I got it!"

The Poison Otter didn't participate in the duel discussion at all, but simply and efficiently placed card packs on the shelf. Chu Hengkong leaned over and asked, "The editor organizes a competition but doesn't play cards?"

“I don’t like playing card games,” said Poison Otter with a smile, “but I really like the revenue it generates for the bookstore. We recently received a new batch of Longquan Township booster packs, and they’re incredibly effective, which is why we’re holding this bookstore tournament.”

Chu Hengkong glanced at the duelists and suddenly realized, "Take this opportunity to sell cards."

“I make a fortune every time!” the Poison Otter said happily.

·

"How come we've only sold so few?" the venomous otter stammered, bewildered.

"This—this shouldn't be happening!" Bangbangji was dumbfounded.

The atmosphere after the match was quite lively, with many duelists choosing to stay and play friendly matches. The store sold a lot of new books, drinks, and snacks. However, the new card packs were completely ignored. Apart from a few newcomers who came out of curiosity after watching the game, none of the veteran duelists bought any.

Chu Hengkong picked up a set of cards and examined them, also finding it strange: "30 Green Branches a pack isn't expensive for a card game, and the effects all look pretty powerful... Is it a problem with the card art?"