Magic Card Era: Infinite Deck Enhancement — Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Night Queen

“Pfft!”

The mouthful of water Cang Fenghua had just taken sprayed violently across the room, directly drenching his butler’s face.

Good heavens! Dripping wet, the butler’s hands twitched. He almost couldn’t suppress the urge to slap his boss across the jaw. But remembering the man was his direct superior—and the City Lord—he swallowed his pride. If he actually struck him, even with Cang Fenghua’s usual high regard for him, he would likely be packing his bags for an early retirement by nightfall.

No, damn it. I know way too many of his secrets. I might just be silenced permanently. A cold sweat broke out across the butler’s back at the thought.

“Cough, cough… I’ll pretend I didn’t hear a word of that,” Cang Fenghua wheezed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Tell those idiots not to make wild guesses or spread baseless rumors. Otherwise, I won’t mind transferring every last one of them to the border for guard duty.”

Because he knew the woman in question was the Night Queen, Cang Fenghua hadn’t even entertained the scandalous possibility. So what if they booked a couple’s private room? They probably just wanted a quieter environment to eat! Could these brats not give him a break? Just do their jobs and stop overthinking—was that so hard?

It had to be said, Cang Fenghua was indeed worthy of his position as City Lord; he had instantly deduced the exact truth.

“I’ll handle it immediately, sir.” Wiping the water from his eyes, the butler turned on his heel and marched out. Damn it all! If it weren’t for those gossiping brats, he wouldn’t have just been given an impromptu shower.

Unable to vent his frustrations on his superior, the butler’s wrath naturally flowed downward. The young guards assigned to watch the pair were about to face a storm.

Several days later.

“Teacher, you’re leaving?”

Luke sat at his desk, his mind previously buried in the reconstruction pathways for Red-Eyes Black Dragon and the lore settings for Swords of Revealing Light. He blinked, completely caught off guard by the Night Queen’s sudden announcement.

Everything had been perfectly fine over the last two days. Why the abrupt departure? Granted, the City Lord was probably weeping tears of joy right now.

“My visit to Cangling City had another purpose aside from handling your affairs,” the Night Queen said. She leaned in close, her intoxicating scent washing over him as her slender fingers playfully pinched his cheek. “I had a premonition that I would find the inspiration to create a new Magic Card here.”

She released his face, her dark eyes gleaming with a rare, intense focus. “However, I didn’t expect to achieve that goal so quickly. I need to seize this opportunity and refine the concept immediately.”

Inspiration was a fleeting thing. If it wasn’t anchored into a solid framework, it would eventually slip away like sand through fingers. This was especially true for the Night Queen, as the new Magic Card she intended to forge was far beyond ordinary power.

“You found inspiration for a new card, Teacher?” This was the first Luke had heard of it. He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Truly worthy of an Undying Realm heavyweight. Inspiration just falls into her lap.

As for her casual, unrestrained physical touch, Luke had grown entirely accustomed to it over the past few days. He just let her do as she pleased. It helped build their rapport, anyway.

More, he still couldn’t beat her in a fight. If he could… well, that would be a very different story.

“My inspiration actually came from our conversation that night,” the Night Queen revealed, noticing Luke’s complete lack of awareness regarding how much his words had benefited her. She raised a jade-like finger and lightly tapped his forehead. “Originally, I planned to give you some guidance on card-making. I never expected the roles to be reversed.”

She let out a soft, airy chuckle. She didn’t mind the inversion at all; in fact, she was delighted by it. Whether acting as a Domain Lord or as his mentor, the Night Queen genuinely hoped Luke would grow into a top-tier Magic Card Master. If he eventually surpassed her own achievements, all the better.

“That was just a normal conversation, wasn’t it?” Luke rubbed his forehead, even more bewildered. His design philosophies completely deviated from the mainstream conventions of Magic Card Civilization. He never imagined his unorthodox ideas would spark a breakthrough for someone of her caliber.

He suddenly felt incredibly smug.

“To you, it might have been an ordinary chat. But to other Magic Card Masters—even to me—it was a deep realization.” Shifting her hand, the Night Queen cupped his cheek again, her thumb brushing against his skin. “Remember to be careful when you explore the Eternal Night Dimension. If you encounter a danger you cannot handle, activate the Night Palace’s teleportation array immediately. As long as I am around, no one can harm a single hair on your head.”

She stepped back slightly, her tone shifting to practical matters. “Additionally, Ningdie has already made the necessary arrangements for you at Tianfu. If you run into any difficulties or annoyances there, you can have her step in and resolve them.”

“Teacher, I’m not the type to go around causing trouble,” Luke drawled, rolling his eyes even as he enjoyed the comfortable, cool sensation of her lingering touch. He was definitely being teased again.

“You are the top scorer of this year’s Eastern Region College Entrance Examination. Quite a few people already have their eyes on you,” she countered, amused by his expression. Unable to resist, she pinched his cheek one last time, retracting her hand with a satisfied smile. “Back when Ningdie claimed the top spot in her exam, she faced the exact same scrutiny.”

A towering tree catches the fiercest winds. Within Magic Card Civilization, countless ambitious Magic Card Masters hungered for fame. For university students, what could possibly be a faster, more convenient stepping stone than crushing the reigning top scorer?

Once Luke officially entered the academy, he wouldn’t just face challenges from his peers; older students from higher grades would undoubtedly target him too. It was a standard university tradition—a harsh hazing ritual designed to shake up arrogant newcomers.

“In that case, they’re going to be severely disappointed,” Luke said, a sharp glint in his eyes. He wasn’t afraid of a little trouble. If someone came knocking on his door looking for a fight, he had absolutely no qualms about breaking their confidence permanently.

“Confidence is an excellent trait. That is exactly the attitude my student should possess. I look forward to your future performance.”

As her melodious voice faded, the Night Queen slowly stepped backward. Her elegant figure gradually blurred, dissolving into the surrounding shadows until she vanished completely.

Luke wasn’t surprised by the exit; he knew she had already traversed space back to the Night Palace.

However, recalling her constant, teasing physical contact, he rubbed his temples with a sigh. Why does my teacher have zero dignity as a mentor? At this rate, how am I supposed to stop myself from developing into a rebellious disciple?

“The Eternal Night Dimension, the Land of Demise, Mechanical Civilization… I wonder what I’ll actually encounter there.” Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Luke turned back to his desk, diving back into the complex lore and background settings for his upcoming Magic Cards.

Meanwhile, at Tianfu—one of the Ancient Kingdom’s Four Great Academies.

“Little girl, the sun must have risen from the west for you to come seeking out an old man like me.”

Wen Xiuyuan reclined lazily in a woven bamboo chair, casting a teasing glance at Meng Ningdie. Beside him sat a worn, antique fishing rod, its line cast into the tranquil waters as he waited for a bite.

Judging purely by his appearance, Wen Xiuyuan looked like an utterly ordinary elder. There was nothing outwardly imposing about him. Yet, this was the deepest, most restricted sector of Tianfu, and absolutely no one who frequented these grounds was ordinary.

Wen Xiuyuan’s true identity was the Headmaster of Tianfu. He was a supreme powerhouse—an Immortal Realm Magic Card Master standing on the exact same echelon as titans like Cang Ao and Shangguan Hong!

“Headmaster, please don’t tease me,” Meng Ningdie replied, a fleeting trace of embarrassment coloring her elegant features.

She was technically a mentor at Tianfu, even if she only held the title nominally. Yet, after holding the position for so many years, she hadn’t taken on a single student. It was, admittedly, a rather severe dereliction of duty.

Hmm, why not just pull Chu Yun over? We’re all family anyway, so it’ll be much easier to manage, Meng Ningdie thought to herself.

Originally, she had locked onto Luke as her prime target. But his monstrous performance had rapidly eclipsed her qualifications to teach him, and now, by a twist of fate, he was her junior brother. With Luke off the table, Meng Ningdie’s only remaining option was her own niece, Chu Yun. At the very least, taking her in would serve as a decent explanation to her family.