A Card In Hand

Chapter 97: Criminal, You Better Behave Yourself!

“I certainly don’t have relatives shaped like meatballs!”

Zhao Kong struggled to keep a straight face as he waved his hands dismissively.

“My name is Fuxi!”

Fuxi quickly introduced himself to avoid any misunderstandings.

“Who beat you up like this? Was it Li Ao?”

Lie Feng thought Fuxi had been swollen up by someone’s beating.

“It wasn’t me,” Li Ao immediately denied.

“Then was it Tie Zheng?”

Qiu Ye suspected that Tie Zheng was responsible.

Tie Zheng was speechless. What are you all guessing?

Even if I wanted to, I don’t have the ability to turn Fuxi into a sphere!

“I got fat from eating, not from being beaten up. Any swelling from hits during training would have vanished long ago! And I’ve only gotten a little bit fatter, it doesn’t affect my original appearance at all. You can look closely if you don’t believe me!”

Fuxi hurriedly explained.

“Got fat from eating?”

Wu Ying was shocked.

“What did you eat? Demon yeast? That’s terrifying!”

“It’s my bloodline power,” Fuxi reminded everyone.

“So ugly!”

Ling Long did not mince her words.

“Isn’t there a more normal change?”

Long Ying also found Fuxi’s transformation a bit frightening.

“There’s no ugly or not in bloodline power, and besides, this change isn’t something I wanted!”

Fuxi felt dizzy, unable to reason with them.

“Ugly or not, keep your distance from me. I don’t want others to mistake you for someone I know and affect my perfect image,” Huo Mei commanded Fuxi to stay away, preferably rolling away.

“But Goddess Huo Mei, I’m your faithful follower!”

Fuxi was on the verge of tears.

“A spherical follower? Do I look like I have such low standards or such heavy tastes?”

Huo Mei picked up a golden comb and started grooming her hair, no longer sparing Fuxi a glance.

As a core member of the aesthetics party, she absolutely could not tolerate having such a grotesque and disgusting follower, even if he claimed to be human!

“Doesn’t anyone think it’s impressive that I awakened my bloodline power and increased my combat power by more than two hundred in just three days?”

Fuxi was indignant.

“Sorry, apart from Zao Chi, who only increased less than six hundred in combat power, we all have increased by over seven hundred. Shuanghan and Cang Yue even broke a thousand. So, your little increase in combat power… you might need to wait in line a bit longer!”

Tang Guo waved her hand with a smile.

“Are you guys even human?”

Fuxi blurted out, frustrated.

He thought his combat power had increased quickly.

Three days.

An increase of more than two hundred.

That number was already terrifying, but compared to this group of freaks who, in less than ten days, all increased by over seven hundred…

Thankfully, there were Tie Zheng and little Li Ao to regain some dignity.

Especially little Li Ao.

The great demon king was destined to rule over you in this lifetime. You are geniuses, no doubt, but compared to Li Ao, a freak that would make the ancestors of the Ironclad Family gasp, you are still tender!

No show-off successful.

Fuxi’s heart was heavy.

He decided not to talk to these challenge list freaks anymore.

He just wasn’t one of them; trying to brag with them was completely futile.

“Li Ao, I’m going over there to say hi to Chen Quan and Hei Zhu,” Fuxi decided to go over and blow his own trumpet among those of equal combat power, to enjoy their admiring glances.

“Take your time, boss,” Li Ao said, certainly not one to obstruct Fuxi’s boastful journey, filled with ambition to conquer the world.

“Don’t talk yet, Li Ao. I’m asking Tie Zheng,” Huo Mei pointed at Tie Zheng, who was as solid as iron, with her delicate fingers, “How much has your combat power increased?”

“Nine hundred,” Tie Zheng replied honestly.

“When I came to see you a few days ago, you hadn’t increased at all. How did it increase by nine hundred in just three days?”

Lie Feng asked enviously.

“Haven’t you also increased by nine hundred? And even earlier than me!”

Tie Zheng retorted irritably, wondering why it was fair for others to increase but not him.

“I not only received a legacy but also contracted an early-stage silver-level war beast,” Lie Feng immediately countered.

“Both of you, shut up or go away!”

Huo Mei pointed her delicate finger at Li Ao again, and asked Tie Zheng, “What about him? Don’t tell me he only increased a few points in combat power!”

“It’s actually just a few points.”

Tie Zheng wondered how she guessed so accurately.

“Hey, do you think we are fools?”

Huo Mei was angry.

“That’s what I saw,” Tie Zheng said helplessly.

“Give me your native card.”

Ling Long reached out to Li Ao, took his native card, and immediately jumped up: “You’ve been training for three days, and even Fuxi, that spherical man, has increased by more than two hundred in combat power, yet you only increased by three points?”

“I also had two consecutive power surges during the training,” Tie Zheng said, not siding with Li Ao either, as everyone was against the great devil.

“Tsk, tsk, a combat power of 4399, that’s really high! Let me guess, did you halve that number? I think it’s more than that,” Huo Mei snatched Li Ao’s native card, used her long index finger to lift his chin, her face coming very close, then glaring at him with fiery eyes: “Listen, criminal, you better be honest!”

“I’ve always been an honest kid, you can ask around in private if you don’t believe me,” Li Ao replied calmly.

“He’s faking his calm, kiss him!”

Tang Guo urged desperately.

“The great devil is done for, his heartbeat is speeding up!”

Ling Long covered her mouth and giggled.

“…”

Yue Sha dared not watch anymore as Huo Mei’s and Li Ao’s faces were almost touching, and she hid behind Ling Long with her head bowed.

“If you don’t talk, I’m going to punish you big time!”

Huo Mei provocatively blew on Li Ao’s face, her attitude extremely arrogant.

The crowd from the Challenge List started to make a commotion, the male classmates blocking Li Ao’s retreat.

The female classmates stood behind Huo Mei in support.

Their lips.

Were almost touching.

Huo Mei was in full aura, as if she was a fiery queen wielding the banner of justice against the great devil.

“Alright, alright, I’ll confess, I’ll tell the truth,” Li Ao declared his surrender.

The classmates cheered.

Thank goodness.

The great devil finally met his match in the fierce Queen Huo Mei.

Li Ao, with a face as honest as if he had never lied in his life, spoke, “Actually, my real combat power is… a secret!”

Upon hearing this, Huo Mei furiously tried to bite him.

Her little white teeth were fiercely sharp.

Unfortunately for her, Li Ao’s body turned into a shadow and disappeared.

“He’s over here!”

Wu Ying was the first to spot Li Ao’s position as he flashed out from the Shadow Path, and she quickly grabbed his wrist like lightning: “Got you!”

Shuanghan and Qiqu reacted instantly, deploying their ice-binding and thought threads simultaneously, ensnaring Li Ao from head to toe.

The crowd surged forward, pinning the great demon lord to the ground and rubbing him back and forth.

“I’ll teach you to show off!”

“I’ll teach you to explode in power twice in three days and only adjust a few points in combat power to fool us. Do you think we’re idiots?”

Seeing the geniuses on the Challenge List overturn the great demon lord on the ground, the other students synchronously responded by pinning down Fuxi, who was basking in glory, and without a word, started pounding him mercilessly.

“Blow!”

“I’ll teach you to blow!”

“I’ll teach you to awaken your bloodline power in three days, and you, a fat dead ball, increase your combat power by over two hundred in three days! Do you know how heart-wrenching that is? Do you think we are the perverted geniuses of the Challenge List? We haven’t increased our combat power at all these past few days, so why should you secretly get ahead?”

“And you still think you can blend into our group of street-fallen classmates and be our friend?”

“Unless you let us have our fun!”

“Otherwise, we will never forgive you!”

Inside the hall of the Ironclad Family, Long Tai was surprised to hear the ruckus outside, wondering if the feelings among this batch of newcomers were really that good.

“Previous newcomers were never like this.”

Hui Ye also expressed surprise with a bewildered face.

“This batch is no different from the previous ones, but everything changed after Li Ao entered the ring. Many hidden talents among these kids kept a low profile so well that we hardly noticed them. Li Ao called them out one by one and then, with his own strength, knocked them all down, which ignited their fighting spirit. With Li Ao as their target, the newcomers will experience an explosive growth… and it’s not just one or two, but all of them. Li Ao has greatly elevated their perspective, something we old folks couldn’t achieve!” the gaunt Elder Xinmei explained with a chuckle.

“After all, Li Ao is their peer.”

Long Tai agreed wholeheartedly, believing that having Tie Zheng by Li Ao’s side to spontaneously chase after him would be far more effective than any teaching he could offer.

“The Divine Favorites are destined to shine in the Celestial Realm.”

Hui Ye stated her position subtly: “His Majesty has always kept an eye on him.”

Her implication was that Li Ao was a Divine Favorite particularly watched over by their king.

“Don’t let anything happen to him.”

Now, in the Celestial Realm.

Complex forces intertwined, and undercurrents surged.

If only devotees of good deities lived here, there would be no worry, but who knows how many devotees of evil deities were lurking… Some devotees of evil deities enjoyed hunting down potential seeds from the Lower Realms to please their worshipped lords.

Ironclad Family leader Long Tai also looked to the three elders of the Pantheon of Myriad Realms, hoping to hear good news from them.

The three elders exchanged glances.

Nodded.

The lead Elder Xinmei spoke, “Flowers in a greenhouse can’t withstand stormy weather. Our opinion is still to let the saplings grow freely, enjoy the sunlight, and experience the storms. Only then can they grow into towering trees in the future. Of course, we fully understand your concerns. In fact, we are even more cautious. Tianfeng Continent hasn’t seen newcomers ascend to the Celestial Realm in many years, which is a disgrace for our generation of new guardian watchers! Li Ao, he is the most promising, along with the top twenty on the Challenge List. Our greatest wish is to see these youngsters ascend to the Celestial Realm. Unless we all die, we will not let any dark hands reach them!”

Long Tai and Hui Ye stood up and saluted the three elders in respect.

These guardians of the newcomers were unknown to the world.

Yet, they had more to do than anyone else.

And it was because of these elders that newcomers could grow successfully generation after generation.

Although it was still inevitable that some newcomers were assassinated, without these elders, the assassinated would not be the exception but the rule, with none of the weak newcomers surviving.

One day later.

The year 35891, April 23rd.

The eighteenth day since Li Ao’s rebirth.

A super-large airship landed on the platform of Ironclad Square. Li Ao and his classmates were about to embark on a new training journey, heading for the Nine-Layer Ancient Prison!

Shuanghan and Qiqu reacted instantly, deploying their ice-binding and thought threads simultaneously, ensnaring Li Ao from head to toe.

The crowd surged forward, pinning the great demon lord to the ground and rubbing him back and forth.

“I’ll teach you to show off!”

“I’ll teach you to explode in power twice in three days and only adjust a few points in combat power to fool us. Do you think we’re idiots?”

Seeing the geniuses on the Challenge List overturn the great demon lord on the ground, the other students synchronously responded by pinning down Fuxi, who was basking in glory, and without a word, started pounding him mercilessly.

“Blow!”

“I’ll teach you to blow!”

“I’ll teach you to awaken your bloodline power in three days, and you, a fat dead ball, increase your combat power by over two hundred in three days! Do you know how heart-wrenching that is? Do you think we are the perverted geniuses of the Challenge List? We haven’t increased our combat power at all these past few days, so why should you secretly get ahead?”

“And you still think you can blend into our group of street-fallen classmates and be our friend?”

“Unless you let us have our fun!”

“Otherwise, we will never forgive you!”

Inside the hall of the Ironclad Family, Long Tai was surprised to hear the ruckus outside, wondering if the feelings among this batch of newcomers were really that good.

“Previous newcomers were never like this.” Hui Ye also expressed surprise with a bewildered face.

“This batch is no different from the previous ones, but everything changed after Li Ao entered the ring. Many hidden talents among these kids kept a low profile so well that we hardly noticed them. Li Ao called them out one by one and then, with his own strength, knocked them all down, which ignited their fighting spirit. With Li Ao as their target, the newcomers will experience an explosive growth… and it’s not just one or two, but all of them. Li Ao has greatly elevated their perspective, something we old folks couldn’t achieve!” the gaunt Elder Xinmei explained with a chuckle.

“After all, Li Ao is their peer.”

Long Tai agreed wholeheartedly, believing that having Tie Zheng by Li Ao’s side to spontaneously chase after him would be far more effective than any teaching he could offer.

“The Divine Favorites are destined to shine in the Celestial Realm.”

Hui Ye stated her position subtly: “His Majesty has always kept an eye on him.”

Her implication was that Li Ao was a Divine Favorite particularly watched over by their king.

“Don’t let anything happen to him.”

Now, in the Celestial Realm.

Complex forces intertwined, and undercurrents surged.

If only devotees of good deities lived here, there would be no worry, but who knows how many devotees of evil deities were lurking… Some devotees of evil deities enjoyed hunting down potential seeds from the Lower Realms to please their worshipped lords.

Ironclad Family leader Long Tai also looked to the three elders of the Pantheon of Myriad Realms, hoping to hear good news from them.

The three elders exchanged glances.

Nodded.

The lead Elder Xinmei spoke, “Flowers in a greenhouse can’t withstand stormy weather. Our opinion is still to let the saplings grow freely, enjoy the sunlight, and experience the storms. Only then can they grow into towering trees in the future. Of course, we fully understand your concerns. In fact, we are even more cautious. Tianfeng Continent hasn’t seen newcomers ascend to the Celestial Realm in many years, which is a disgrace for our generation of new guardian watchers! Li Ao, he is the most promising, along with the top twenty on the Challenge List. Our greatest wish is to see these youngsters ascend to the Celestial Realm. Unless we all die, we will not let any dark hands reach them!”

Long Tai and Hui Ye stood up and saluted the three elders in respect.

These guardians of the newcomers were unknown to the world.

Yet, they had more to do than anyone else.

And it was because of these elders that newcomers could grow successfully generation after generation.

Although it was still inevitable that some newcomers were assassinated, without these elders, the assassinated would not be the exception but the rule, with none of the weak newcomers surviving.

One day later.

The year 35891, April 23rd.

The eighteenth day since Li Ao’s rebirth.

A super-large airship landed on the platform of Ironclad Square.

Li Ao and his classmates were about to embark on a new training journey, heading for the Nine-Layer Ancient Prison!