Magic Card Era: Infinite Deck Enhancement — Chapter 34

Chapter 34: Honey Trap! The Shameless Old Fox!

With the permission to simulate structures finally unlocked, spiritual power had become the absolute most critical resource in Luke’s arsenal. The college entrance examinations were looming on the horizon, bringing a suffocating pressure to every student in the city. If he could harness the passive effects of the Moon Spirit Ring, his efficiency in simulating complex structures for designated targets would skyrocket to an entirely new level.

This artifact had fallen into his lap at the perfect time.

In fact, this entire exchange match with Cang Yue City had been an absolute goldmine. The opposing academy had essentially marched through their front doors just to hand-deliver combat experience and top-tier loot. It was almost enough to make Luke feel a twinge of guilt.

Almost.

Without a second of hesitation, he reached out and accepted the Moon Spirit Ring from Cang Fenghua’s outstretched hand.

Listening to Principal Gu detail the artifact’s incredible properties, Bei Hanyun and Wang Ping stood off to the side, unconsciously licking their dry lips. They finally grasped just how terrifying of a boost this ring provided to a Magic Card Master—especially to novices still building their mental foundations. Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto the unassuming band of metal, burning with raw longing and deep-seated envy.

But for the Cangling students, envy was all it could be. They knew perfectly well that Luke was the only one standing in that arena qualified to claim it.

Across the floor, the visiting students from Cang Yue City—Zhou Chen, Li Yu, and the rest of their elite squad—stared with bloodshot eyes. Hailing from a much wealthier and more competitive city, they understood the sheer rarity of the Moon Spirit Ring far better than Wang Ping or the others. Back home, their own prestigious ancestors had fought tooth and nail, spilling blood in the wilderness just to secure items of this caliber.

Even Liu Yanran, the undisputed top student of her generation in Cang Yue City, couldn’t mask the intense jealousy flickering across her usually placid features. Despite all her talent and backing, she still hadn’t earned the right to wear such a treasure.

And now, because of their humiliating defeat in the exchange match, this priceless artifact was being handed over to an outsider. It was a direct, obvious slap to the face—a silent declaration of their utter incompetence.

In that tense silence, more than a few Cang Yue students entertained the dark, fleeting impulse to lunge forward and rip the ring right out of Luke’s grasp. They desperately swallowed the urge down, burying it deep.

They weren’t stupid. If they dared to try anything so crooked, Cang Fenghua and Principal Gu wouldn’t even need to lift a finger. Their own instructors, Lin Heling and Yu Chengye, would instantly step in and crush them into the arena floor. The City Lord and the Headmaster simply couldn’t afford to lose any more face today.

Besides, even if the adults didn’t intervene, getting past Luke himself was a terrifying prospect.

“Put it on, Luke,” Cang Fenghua urged, his voice carrying a subtle weight. He cast a deliberate glance over the crowd. “The effects of the Moon Spirit Ring go far beyond simple recovery. Once worn, the artifact binds directly to the user’s soul. Even if someone else harbors ill intentions and steals it, it will be nothing more than a useless piece of scrap metal in their hands.”

Hearing the City Lord’s pointed explanation, Zhou Chen and Li Yu stiffened, their faces flushing with embarrassment. Damn it, is he talking directly to us?

When Lin Heling’s sharp, predatory gaze swept over their ranks a second later, the Cang Yue students guiltily averted their eyes, frantically cursing in the safety of their own minds. Was it really necessary for the City Lord of Cangling City to target a bunch of high schoolers like this?

And a soul-binding function? No wonder the ring was considered a priceless commodity even in their own wealthy city.

Ignoring the heavy atmosphere, Luke calmly slipped the cool metal band onto his finger under the agonizingly envious stares of his peers.

The moment the metal settled against his skin, a rush of pure, icy clarity flooded his mind. The lingering mental exhaustion he had accumulated from simulating the complex framework of the Red-Eyes Meteor Dragon began to wash away. He could actually feel his spiritual energy regenerating—a full third faster than his normal resting rate!

The long-term nurturing effects on his soul weren’t immediately obvious, but a permanent thirty-three percent increase in mental recovery speed was already a terrifying advantage. Cang Fenghua hadn’t exaggerated a single word.

If it weren’t for this highly publicized exchange competition, Luke guessed he never would have even seen a Moon Spirit Ring, let alone owned one.

“Congratulations, Luke.” Taking a slow, measured breath, Lin Heling smoothed out her expression, returning to her usual stoic calm. The fierce battle-maniac respect in her eyes was unmistakable. “If you ever find the time in the future, you should come visit Cang Yue City.”

It was the classic mindset of a brawler—the victor is king, and if you aren’t convinced, you step up and fight again. Luke’s overwhelming, dominant performance in the arena perfectly suited her aggressive temperament.

But her open praise only made Zhou Chen and the other defeated students hang their heads lower. Their own instructor was now openly admiring the enemy who had just crushed them.

“That’s right!” Yu Chengye smoothly hijacked Lin Heling’s invitation, a sly smile creeping onto his face. “Luke, if you do make the trip to Cang Yue City, you should definitely look up Liu Yanran. She knows the city inside and out. You young people should really take the opportunity to… communicate more.”

Damn it!

Principal Gu’s eyes widened, a sudden, piercing alarm blaring in his head. Is this shameless old fox seriously trying to use a honey trap?!

If Luke actually traveled to Cang Yue City and got tangled up with their local beauties, wouldn’t that be like throwing a prime steak to a pack of starving wolves? He’d never come back!

“Luke, Cang Yue City welcomes you anytime,” Liu Yanran added, her voice as soft and ethereal as ever. She didn’t quite grasp the sly implications behind Yu Chengye singling her out, but she harbored zero resentment toward the boy who had defeated her. Instead, her dark eyes held a quiet, lingering curiosity.

“Then I’ll be sure to trouble you when the time comes,” Luke replied smoothly, not reading too deeply into the exchange. Having a local guide in a major hub like Cang Yue City would make handling the markets and securing rare materials much easier.

Behind him, Zhou Chen and the other boys suffered a devastating critical hit to their pride. What the hell was this miserable feeling? They had suffered a complete double defeat—losing the championship and watching their academy’s goddess get handed over to the enemy!

After exchanging a few more brief pleasantries, Lin Heling and the Cang Yue delegation turned and departed the arena. They didn’t even bother returning to their hotel to rest. They had lost the exchange competition in a humiliating sweep; staying in Cangling City for another night would only invite endless mockery.

Once the arena doors swung shut, Principal Gu immediately rounded on his star student.

“Luke, I know you’ve reached… that certain age of adolescence,” Gu began, his tone thick with a fatherly, desperate panic. “But the absolute most important thing right now is the college entrance examination! Once you get into a top-tier university, you’ll find that the world outside is vastly wider. The forests are massive! There is absolutely no need to hang yourself on just one tree!”

“Uh… Principal, don’t worry.” Luke blinked, initially confused by the sudden lecture, before the meaning clicked into place. He let out a dry, helpless laugh. “No matter what happens, I am a student of Cangling Third High School.”

“It’s good that you understand.” Hearing the firm assurance in the boy’s voice, Principal Gu finally let out a long sigh of relief. He was going to age ten years early worrying about this kid.

“The efficacy of the Moon Spirit Ring is truly extraordinary.”

The next morning, Luke stretched his arms, feeling completely revitalized. After resting for the night, his spiritual sea was in a highly active, pristine state. The lingering fatigue from the previous days of intense combat and mental simulation had been entirely wiped clean.

After taking a few moments to adapt to the heightened clarity of his own mind, Luke raised his hand. A faint glow illuminated his bedroom as a small mountain of rare, shimmering materials materialized on his desk.

The simulated construction progress for his next major project had finally reached 100%. Everything was perfectly aligned.

Luke wasted no time. He gave a brief mental instruction to Mana, the Dark Magician Girl, who materialized in the corner of the room to stand guard and ensure he wasn’t disturbed. Taking a deep breath, he focused his newly enhanced mental energy and began the delicate process of forging the Red-Eyes Meteor Dragon Magic Card.

[Dragon-type: A powerful and mysterious existence. In the ancient dragon legends, there exists a Legendary Black Dragon with Crimson Eyes.]

[The black young dragon, in its relentless pursuit of the legendary Black Dragon’s shadow, underwent a long, agonizing period of growth and transformation, eventually evolving into the Red-Eyes Meteor Dragon.]

[Pushing itself to the absolute limit, the Red-Eyes Meteor Dragon finally crossed the boundary of mortality, briefly grasping the apocalyptic power of the legendary Black Dragon.]

[Once the Red-Eyes Meteor Dragon falls into a true rage, its terrifying Star Flame will burn everything reflected in its crimson eyes to ash.]