The Card Apprentice

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It was certainly trouble. Still, there wasn't anyone who would resent that trouble more.

Chen Mu hadn't imagined that the breakthrough with his perception would come so soon; so soon that he was entirely unprepared. The One Breath perceptual training method's results far exceeded his expectations. The distance between level six and level seven perception was so far way for countless people.

His perception had actually grown rather fast all along, especially after Caesar had helped him to adjust it. Now he could be said to have advanced a thousand miles in a day. The One Breath training method in the mysterious card had once again allowed the rate of increase soar. Adding to that was his continual card making. Where others had seen him bring out six hundred card within five days, they didn't actually know that he was so tired every day that he would be about to pass out. The card making machine certainly didn't need him to control it, but it still needed the constant input of perception.

The machinery required constant input of perception right up until the perception was completely exhausted. In order to be able to increase the pace, he had to enter the state of deep serenity. He had never thought that he would combine the state of deep serenity with the One Breath training method, the effect of which was surprisingly good. But combining the two of them required the premise that he would have to practically exhaust his perception.

It didn't sound like that would be so difficult.

But in reality, the pain was far more terrible than anyone could imagine. In general, once perception was lower than forty percent, a card artisan would feel weak. At twenty percent, a person would basically lose control of perception, and if it got as low as ten percent, it could lead to powerful physiological responses, such as whole body spasms, or severe pain in the brain. People often said that near exhaustion meant that there was only twenty percent of perception left.

But the perceptual exhaustion that Chen Mu required was for nothing to be left; judging from the standard values, that would be as low as five percent. If it went lower, the result would be better. He could bear the extreme pain, but once perception went below twenty percent, it would become hard to control, and if he were to want to exhaust it, that would be extremely difficult.

Chen Mu still found a way. What inspired him was his previous extreme training method. Essentially, there wasn't so much difference between what he was then using and the extreme training method - the extreme state would stimulate a person's potential.

He made some slight improvements to the card making machine, using continuity of perception to "draw out" the remaining twenty percent of his perception.

That process was quite comparable to torture whose pain would nearly make a person collapse. Chen Mu didn't only have to endure the pain, he also needed to force himself to enter deep serenity, and use the One Breath training method.

But there is always payback on an investment, and the speed of increase to his perception became shocking.

By that time, he had gotten to the gateway for breaking through level six to level seven.

Ordinarily, that would be a matter that couldn't be better, but by that point it was only trouble.

If the trouble was only him that would have been fine, but no one had thought that the trouble would come at once to so many!

Apart from Sang Hanshui and Xiaobo, there were finally thirty six people among the team who faintly showed signs of a breakthrough.

By that time everyone was all becaming anxious. It was top priority for the Wood Battalion. If that breakthrough was smooth, then the Wood battalion's power would undergo a true transformation; and if it were to fail, then the losses would be huge.

The troops stopped their forward progress, and simply stationed themselves.

There were dozens of snow pits distributed around the camp, each one having several troops to keep watch. Their eyes momentarily stared at the snow pits. Without exception, the card artisans at the impasse chose to use the snow pit method. The snow pit method invented by Chen Mu had already become the troops' most trusted perceptual training method, and it was what had created the situation that day.

The bustle of the of the past was gone from the encampment and raining had been suspended. Everyone's expression was as nervous as could be, apart from Wei-ah. Wei-ah had no expresson on his face as he sat there gazing at the sky. Little Bu Mo was having a rare day without training, his little fists clenched.

The atmosphere of the camp had become oppressive as never before, and serious. The team members were moving softly and quietly, lest they create more commotion and surprise the team members in the snow pits.

The first to succeed was Sang Hanshui. He didn't have outstanding talent, but so many years of bitter training had made his perception incredibly deep. Going through the stimulation of the snow pit method, he had broken through the threshold of the seventh level without any obstacle.

Then one after another the rest of the team members broke through, though those card artisans were all forty-something middle-aged card artisans. Their pervious perception had reached the peak of the sixth level, and they were only a step from the seventh. Given the stimulation of the snow pit method on top of the endless hard training during that period along with the actual battles, they finally completed the transformation from the sixth level to the seventh.

How far was it from the sixth to the seventh level?

Every card artisan would give the same response; very very far! The transformation from the sixth to the seventh level didn't only change the volume of perception upward. An essential transformation was more important. Of course, what was most important was that the card artisans' understanding of perception would become more profound.

On the surface, understanding of perception wouldn't directly be expressed in any increase to battle power, but if you still wanted to progress a step, it was something essential.

No matter what, seventh level card artisans would be considered aces anywhere!

Still, if those middle-aged card artisans who had broken though still wanted to progress some more, that would basically be impossible. Their age had limited their steps forward, unless they could understand the rules of perception and energy more profoundly in a short period of time. That thing about comprehension was very difficult to explain. But time is calculable, which was why the young were better looked after. Since they had more time, they had more possibility for progress.

There were people continually jumping out from the snow pits, though there had never been any commotion in Xiaobo's snow pit and there was still Chen Mu.

Among all of the people, Chen Mu was the only one who wasn't in a snow pit.

Wei-ah remained outside Chen Mu's tent without the least bit of impatience or any look of anxiety.

"Aren't you worried, Wei-ah?" Little Bu Mo couldn't help asking.

"I'm not worried." Wei-ah calmly responded.

"Why aren't you worried? I'm very worried! What if Blockhead doesn't succeed. What if something happens?" While little Bu Mo was talking, he was looking nervously at the curtain to the tent.

Wei-ah's expression didn't change in the least, "If you can't use it, don't do it."

Little Bu Mo thought for a long time before understanding what Wei-ah meant. Wei-ah was saying that worry wasn't useful, so don't do it.

The time went by bit by bit, but the two of them still hadn't moved in the least.

* * *

Dress lightly, and full speed ahead. Our objective is East Delhi!" The childish voice with a hint of sharpness was giving orders. Yan Yu was looking down coldly from midair.

"Yes sir!" Without asking why, a card arisan wearing a battle suit simply saluted the order.

The card artisans were silent, gliding forward like a silent torrent. If the garrison head from West Delhi were to see that scene, he would certainly be surprised to find that the team's march was very similar to the Wood Battalion.

In another of the marching ranks, Yu Jiaran looked like a ghost with his skinny form and haggard white face,. When he spoke it was breathy and without strength. He was a complete invalid. His flight through the air was like a ghost wafting.

"Yan Yu is really impatient."

"Indeed. I've heard that he and master Cang Lan made a bet, that he would nab the Wood Battalion within fifteen days." His aide said with some laughter.

"Fifteen days? Is Cang Lan that anxious?

"I don't know the details." His aide shook his head, "Master Cang Lan invited Caesar to fight this time. Isn't that a little risky?"

Yu Jiaran still had a casual look, "What does that have to do with us? It must be some recent insight of Cang Lan's, otherwise, he wouldn't dare to challenge Caesar. Still, hell deserves our respect to have such guts."

"That's right! Someone who would challenge the killing god has never existed." The aide was showing his agreement, when he suddenly asked, "Master Yan Yu has already sped ahead. What about us?"

"We can maintain this speed. That guy Yan Yu really hates others grabbing the prey with him, It won't be worth our while to compete with that crazy." Yu Jiaran's voice was wavering without strength.

"Yes, sir!" the aide immediately reminded him, "You have to take your medicine, Master."

The sofa made from the fluffy blood tree was as red as fresh blood. It was one of the most expensive textile materials. An extremely beautiful man was lying lazily on top of it, holding up his cheek with his hand. He was wearing a gold encrusted pendant on his forehead.

That man who was as charming as a woman was Shi! While he was grand among the top ten on the Black Line Star Listing, among the greats of the underworld he was known for the unique style that he had established.

A gorgeous beauty was kneading his legs.

"Reporting! Master Yan Yu has suddenly left the team, advancing at top speed while lightly dressed." Another very thinly clad beauty reported.

"It's no use for us to pay attention to that nut. Hee hee, let's just let him go and find out how awesome the Wood Battalion is." He covered his mouth to swallow his laugher, really looking like a woman.

"How awesome could he be? Could he compare to our Jinzhai tribe?" The beauty spoke indifferently while kneading his legs.

"Hee hee, don't be so bold, you don't want to look down on people. He's a highly respected figure for Rossiji." He was once again swallowing his laughter.

"Rossiji isn't as awesome as Master!" Another beauty in revealing clothes came up tightly from behind.

"Hee hee . . ."

Meng Chen had also gotten the same report. With his tall and sturdy body and a full beard, he looked mremarkably like a local bandit.

He gave out a cold groan, and said to himself, "If he wants to die that has nothing to do with me."

After talking he minded his own business and drilled into the training room in his shuttle car. The shuttle car he was riding was huge, and there was a small scale training area inside. Meng Chen was a nut about training, and he would bring along that training shuttle car no matter where he went.

Apart from Yan Yu being like a hurricane all the way, the rest of them tacitly maintained their speed.

* * *

The next day at noon.

Bang, there was a huge sound, as the snow pit where Xaiobo was suddenly blew open without warning!

Those few teammates who were staying beside the snow pit reacted very quickly and erected their energy cloaks. They only felt the transmission of a huge force. Although they had energy cloaks to protect them, they still were like a ball pumped up hard as they were blown backward.

That huge sound had scared the entire camp.

There hadn't been anyone in a similar situation during those last few days. To break through from the sixth to the seventh level was really very fuzzy for those ordinary-born card artisans, no matter what the exact details were.

Did he succeed or did he fail?

Countless gazes were concentrated on the snow pit where Xiaobo was.

All the snow in the pit was blown off, but there still wasn't any movement in the mouth of the pit. Everyone looked at one another, though no one came forward. Sang Hanshui's heart skipped a beat. Could something have happened? He was about to go over.

Then there suddenly appeared a blackened hand on the edge of the pit. The left hand.

Soon after, there appeared another similarly black hand. The right hand.

A smoking and burning head then appeared. The previously soft and silvery long hair was now like a mop. And moreover, one that had just mopped the ground and was darkest black.

He squirted out a mouthful of black breath from his nose. Xiaobo couldn't help cursing abuse.

"Damnit, is it all going to explode?"

Everyone was petrified.