The First Academy.

The dean was deep in his thoughts as he stared at the news on the screen.

The Starry Sky Pavilion was in deep trouble!!!

The headlines today turned out to be negative news about the Starry Sky Pavilion! From inaccurate deductions to swindling others out of their money, there was a wide coverage of this…

Therefore…

Was the data deduced for him some time ago still accurate?!

"This won't do."

The dean contemplated the situation deeply for a moment and felt that it was better to get someone to make the deductions again.

"I hope everything is alright."

The dean sighed.

The millennium school celebration was approaching and he had to ensure that the situation was under control. He could not allow any hitches.

At this very moment…

Sword Card Master a.s.sociation.

With the efforts of Li Haoran and team, the a.s.sociation had officially begun its operations. All the staff members had been recruited and the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation was officially opened to the public!

It was a pity…

Besides the dozens of staff members, there were only the few of them in the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation…

"It's finally open."

Li Haoran was in tears.

Lu Ming looked at him and remained silent.

It does not make any difference whether we are open to the public or not?

However, Lu Ming realized the significance of the a.s.sociation when he saw Li Haoran and the rest dining at the cafeteria excitedly.

Oh, they no longer needed to order takeaway!

Before, everyone was busy with cultivation and really did not have the time to dine out. The a.s.sociation did not have a cafeteria and they had to order takeaway all the time. It seemed very miserable…

Lu Ming had overlooked this.

After all, Xiaobai prepared all his meals. He thus had not thought of this.

That afternoon.

Members of the public could also apply to join the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation.

However…

Unfortunately, the number of applicants was not that impressive…

Furthermore, none of them pa.s.sed the criteria…

Hence…

Student Yan Suqi decided to take the initiative to partic.i.p.ate in compet.i.tions again!

Based on past experiences, each victory of Yan Suqi would attract a large number of cultivators and applications for the Sword Card Master vocation!

"Life has been tough with you."

Li Haoran's expression was serious. "Second Senior Brother, we'll count on you to increase the fame of the Sword Card Master vocation!"

"Understood."

A grave expression emerged on Yan Suqi's face.

He knew that… Xiaobai would not put him down when there were outsiders present!

This was the only thing that he could do for the Sword Card Master vocation!

As the 'most useless' disciple among the Sword Card Masters, he could only play a role in publicity.

After all…

Third Junior Brother Li Haoran was in charge of operations management and developing dyeing techniques and Fourth Junior Brother Zhao Yunshan was responsible for swordplay and funds. What about him? He was the second senior brother but he was totally useless!

He felt very ashamed.

Therefore, he tried his best to play to his strengths and prove to others the value of the Sword Card Master vocation!

He wanted everyone to know about the existence of Sword Card Masters. He also wanted everyone to know how powerful a Sword Card Master was. He would try his best to increase the popularity of Sword Card Master!

T-this was his destiny!

"I won't embarra.s.s the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation!"

Yan Suqi had an austere expression.

The next day.

Yan Suqi traveled to Southeast Asia and partic.i.p.ated in an exchange match organized by the Fifth High School for gifted teens. He was striving to increase the fame of the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation.

…

"Have a good trip."

Li Haoran looked serious.

He knew that… Xiaobai would not put him down when there were outsiders there!

Yan Suqi's missions were never easy!

Each time he engaged in a match, he had to face powerful opponents. A huge amount of determination was required!

Although Second Senior Brother was very young, he had huge perseverance. Perhaps this was the reason that he reached four-star at such a young age!

Second Senior Brother was extremely talented!

"I should go back."

Li Haoran returned to the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation.

He knew that… Xiaobai would not put him down when there were outsiders!

This was the only thing that he could do!

As the 'most useless' disciple among the Sword Card Masters, he could only play a role in management.

In terms of talent, he could not beat Senior Sister and Second Senior Brother. In terms of ability, he was the weakest. Even in terms of looks, he was ranked at the bottom…

He was not even one-tenth as good looking as his master!

He was well aware that he was able to join the vocation as an exceptional case because Master had pitied him…

He did not even meet the recruitment criteria of the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation!

Therefore…

He could only be responsible for managing the operations of the a.s.sociation.

He was very sure that the only thing he could do now was be the spokesperson for Lu Ming and be responsible for reorganizing Lu Ming's ability-related information and manage the a.s.sociation. This was the only thing that he could do!

"I will work hard!"

Li Haoran's eyes were filled with enthusiasm.

How could he fall behind when he had such a master and fellow disciples?

The Sword Card Master a.s.sociation would become better!

And he….

He would definitely become a Sword Card Master disciple that meets the mark in the future!

…

At this very moment…

Lu Ming had just returned from the Card Creators a.s.sociation. After two days of cultivation, his card creation standards had improved again. He was overjoyed.

At this rate, he would be able to cast new techniques soon!

Just as he arrived at the doorstep, he paused in his tracks. Afterward… He glanced at the entrance of the a.s.sociation. A teenager in black was squatting in the corner.

"It's you?"

Lu Ming was surprised.

"… Humph!"

The teenager in black sneered and ignored him.

"Why are you here?"

Lu Ming was surprised.

"Why do you think?"

The teenager in black had an unfriendly expression. This scoundrel Lu Ming had fooled his family's idiot and yet he was asking him why he was there? He was simply too much!

"Oh, it's because of Li Haoran."

Lu Ming came back to his senses. "Then you're here because…"

"Haven't you seen a security chief before?"

The teenager in black was filled with arrogance.

"Work hard…"

Lu Ming patted him on the shoulder.

"Humph!"

The teenager in black snorted as he watched Lu Ming leave.

What's there to be proud of? I'll catch up with you guys sooner or later. Isn't it just a card spirit?!

Hence…

He remained in the corner and began to recite again, "Dagger, dagger, you have already grown up. You are a mature dagger. You have to learn to cultivate by yourself…"

The pa.s.sersby glanced at him.

Afterward…

They pitied him very much.

A few ladies even gave some money to the teenager in black.

The face of the teenager in black darkened further!

…

"How long has he been like this?"

Just as Lu Ming stepped into the a.s.sociation, he saw Li Haoran. They were speaking about the teenager in black. He had a feeling that this child had been thoroughly fooled…

"A very long time."

Li Haoran smiled bitterly. "I told him before that he doesn't have the talent."

He had already told him countless times.

However, the teenager in black ignored him. His persistence was not something that an ordinary person could change… Therefore…

The rest was history.

"It's been tough for you."

Lu Ming patted him on the shoulder.

It must be very tough to carry such a burden.

"It's not that bad."

Li Haoran sighed.

He reported to Lu Ming about the next incoming disciple.

He had established a fixed criteria for the people that he a.s.sessed.

First, they had to meet the basic requirements (Resources, card creating talent, swordplay talent and so on).

They could then become in-name disciples of the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation. Afterward, Li Haoran would send the card spirit guidelines to them so that the disciple could search for their card spirit…

In the end…

An individual who gave birth to a card spirit would then officially become a true disciple of the a.s.sociation!

"In-name disciples… You can handle them."

Lu Ming was not worried about this. However, speaking of this, he thought of someone. "Oh, right. Where is Li Ergou?"

"He is looking for his card spirit."

Li Haoran said in a low voice. "Li Ergou is considered an in-name disciple of the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation. He will be able to join the a.s.sociation once he finds a card spirit!"

"Card spirit…"

Lu Ming coughed and said gingerly, "The method of giving birth…"

"Of course, it's Senior Sister's method!" Li Haoran said in a sincere tone.

Lu Ming was speechless.

Oh man!

h.e.l.lo! Did all of you give birth to card spirits naturally?!

"Not everyone has such talents."

Lu Ming sighed. "We have to consider other ways too."

"We've written about it before."

Li Haoran expressed his understanding. "It's best to create it naturally. However, if there is no talent… We are also open to trying out other methods."

At present.

The members.h.i.+p of the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation could not increase because of the card spirit criterion!

After all…

There were many people who had abundant resources!

However, creating a card spirit…

Sigh.

Li Haoran felt that his head was slightly hurting.

He remembered that he had also recited the key phrase countless times before he had succeeded!

Senior Sister's secret formula was 'The belief in a thing makes it happen'. However, how could one achieve that when they did not have enough understanding about the Sword Card Master vocation?

There was a huge problem!

Of course, people like Zhao Yunshan who bought his spirit body could also succeed. However, besides Zhao Yunshan, no one else could afford to buy that kind of special spirit body!

It was too expensive!

After all, not everyone had a 'gold mine' at home!

Therefore, they had to think of other solutions.

Lu Ming cast a strange look at him.

Didn't you guys shove your spirit bodies into your cards?

Oh.

Right.

Lu Ming recovered from his senses. He almost forgot that Li Haoran thought that his spirit body was born naturally! He did not even know that his spirit body was a snake!

"Let me think about it," Lu Ming spoke.

He felt that it would not be too difficult.

After all, Brother Cat could shove itself in his card and Li Haoran's Xiao-Xiaoshé was also able to enter on its own. Therefore, there might be other new methods if they could sort this out.

"Yes."

Li Haoran felt guilty.

Eventually, he still had to trouble his master…

"It's okay."

Lu Ming smiled faintly.

After bidding farewell to Li Haoran, he returned to his bedroom.

Card spirit…

Birth…

He began to research the relevant information.

There was information about it on the Internet but they were scarce. If it was that easy to give birth to a spirit body, why would they still need spirit body hunters?!

Natural birth?

No way!

It was even harder to shove them into the vocation core…

Normal people could not do that at all!

Besides Zhao Yunshan, this rich guy who had 'gold mines' at home, very few people could buy a suitable spirit body for themselves and then integrate it…

No way!

Of course, most probably Li Haoran had done this research before.

Therefore…

There was only one solution left — Xiaobai's teaching.

Lu Ming contemplated carefully.

In the future, numerous people who applied to join the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation would hole themselves in a cla.s.sroom and then recite to their Original Cards together, "Original Card, Original Card, you have already grown up. You must learn to…"

Ss——

He felt spooked at the thought of this scene!

Do you think this is a morning self-study session?!

This is too terrifying!

Besides…

Till now, the only person who succeeded was Xiaobai!

Not reliable!

However…

The spirit bodies of Li Haoran and the rest had found and entered a gap of their own accord after suffering emotionally from a grievous defeat. Did this mean that it would work as long as the spirit body was willing to do that?

First, there had to be a crack on the vocation core.

Second, the spirit body had to enter it of its own accord.

Perhaps…

He could find something to test this with?

There were ample funds in the a.s.sociation now. Therefore, Lu Ming simply bought the most inferior spirit body and then began to carry out experiments.

Experiment materials: Inferior spirit body, vocation core.

Experiment objective: Integrate the spirit body and the vocation core.

Experiment steps: Make cracks appear on the vocation core and integrate the spirit body.

…

In that case…

The first step was to make a crack on the vocation core.

Bang!

Lu Ming took out an Original Card which was at around the four-star level and cast his Sword Aura at it.

Afterward…

Nothing happened to the Original Card.

"It didn't work?"

Lu Ming was disappointed.

He knew that the vocation core was very st.u.r.dy but he did not expect it to be st.u.r.dy to such an extent. Despite his ability, he could not leave any trace of a crack on it!

Cracks…

These are really too difficult to create.

Each of the previous occurrences of a crack was due to special circ.u.mstances…

For example—

Li Haoran.

Eh?

Lu Ming suddenly realized something. That was right. Didn't cracks appear on Li Haoran's Original Card because he collided with it? In that case, if he were to use Xiao-Xiaojian to collide with the Original Card…

Click!

Lu Ming tried to do the collisions.

Bang!

A mushroom cloud suddenly rose in the testing area.

Lu Ming was speechless.

He looked at that Original Card. It had disintegrated under the collision!

"Can't you be more gentle?"

Lu Ming looked sullen.

"I'm already very restrained."

Xiao-Xiaojian's head was hurting.

Only heaven knew!

When Lu Ming was at his weakest, Li Haoran's Original Card was already a four-star! That was why cracks appeared on it upon collision! But now? The Original Card used in his experiment was a four-star card but Xiao-Xiaojian was already multiple times more powerful than before! It was impossible to only cause cracks to appear?!

It would shatter upon collision!

Unless…

It was a powerful Original Card!

Lu Ming looked among his vocation cores and he could not find any.

"It seems that we can only change our method."

Lu Ming squinted his eyes.

The Original Card…

Cracks…

Lu Ming found a four-star Original Card. An idea suddenly came to his mind. He appeared in his Sea of Consciousness. "Brother Cat! Brother Cat! Come! Bite this Original Card!"

The black cat woke up.

It stared at Lu Ming as if he was an idiot.

"Hurry! Brother Cat! Take a bite."

Lu Ming was full of antic.i.p.ation.

He had already thought about it. If Brother Cat could do that, all the disciples of the Sword Card Master a.s.sociation could come there for a bite in the future…

Well, this could also be considered a joining ceremony.

Think about it. A group of new disciples lined up side by side and waited for Brother Cat to bestow them a favor…

Hahahaha!

Cras.h.!.+

A black shadow flashed.

Lu Ming was sent flying out instantly, dangling off the wall.

Lu Ming was speechless.

Oh.

d.a.m.n!

He forgot that this was the Sea of Consciousness and Brother Cat could hear him…

Lu Ming coughed.

"Brother Cat, really. Can you try to bite it once?"

Lu Ming dug himself out and gingerly walked towards the black cat. He said, "It's true. I know that you're very formidable. I need your help for an experiment."

The black cat stared at Lu Ming coldly.

After a long while…

Perhaps it could feel Lu Ming's sincerity. In addition, he had not hara.s.sed it recently. It finally lowered its head and gnawed carefully at the Original Card once.

Click!

There was a crisp and clear sound.

A huge crack appeared on the Original Card immediately…

Shus.h.!.+

All of a sudden, there was silence in the Sea of Consciousness.

Lu Ming was baffled.

A quarter of the Original Card had been bitten off…

d.a.m.n!

The black cat had bitten too much!

Afterward…

The Original Card suddenly shone.

Oh no!

Lu Ming's heart skipped a beat.

Bang!

A deafening sound could be heard. The Sea of Consciousness trembled and the unstable Original Card actually exploded! A striking glow instantly drowned Lu Ming and the black cat…

After a long while…

After the s.h.i.+ne disappeared, Lu Ming and the black cat were still in their original spots.

After all, this was merely a four-star Original Card. It could not injure them even if it were to self-destruct. However…

After the explosion…

Lu Ming was alright but he looked jet dark.

Things did not seem that good for the black cat. Its pretty whiskers were now curled… The fur on its entire body was now wavy, as if it had just gone through perming and dyeing at a hair salon.

Shus.h.!.+

There was silence in the Sea of Consciousness.

A man and a cat were especially quiet.

"Well… Brother Cat."

Lu Ming said gingerly, "Will you believe me if I tell you that this was an accident?"

Bang!

A black shadow flashed.

All of a sudden, Lu Ming was dangling off the wall..