novelhk Chapter 10. A Visit from Tianji Village? To Disrupt the Event?
Chapter 10. A Visit from Tianji Village? To Disrupt the Event?
Leaving the general store and walking along the village's cobblestone path, Qin Xue couldn't help but ask curiously, "Youfeng, are these cards you chose really going to work? They don't seem very powerful."
"Whether it's powerful or not, you'll only know after you've fought it." You Feng weighed the deck in his hand, which seemed light but could be as heavy as a thousand pounds, his eyes deep. "Sometimes, the most inconspicuous cards, when combined, can become the most solid cage."
He suddenly remembered something and turned to look at Qin Xue: "Oh right, you came to see me this morning, was there something you needed? I was so focused on the card deck that I almost forgot."
Qin Xue slapped her forehead, her pretty face showing a mixture of realization and urgency: "I had forgotten! It's Tianji Village! Old Man Lei from Tianji Village brought several of his young men who just came of age this year, saying it was for a friendly exchange and competition."
She curled her lip, her tone clearly indignant: "They call it a friendly exchange, but it's clearly an annual event—taking advantage of our village's recent coming-of-age ceremony, before the newcomers are fully familiar with their decks and power levels, they come to hog the show, grab benefits, and show off! You used to… well, you might not remember if you've lost your memory, but they humiliated our village quite a bit in the past few years. When they won, they were arrogant, and when they lost, they made all sorts of excuses. Unfortunately, our village has been struggling these past few years, winning less and losing more, it's been so frustrating!"
Youfeng understood.
The competition and rivalry between villages is the same in any world.
Honor, face, and even the subsequent allocation of resources are all tied to this.
"Let's go take a look," You Feng said, a thought stirring in his heart.
According to the Great Sun Woman, the "Thunder Core," one of the four tokens, is very likely related to this village.
This visit may be a good opportunity for observation.
The two quickly arrived at the square in the center of the village.
The place was more lively than usual, with many villagers gathered around, whispering among themselves, creating a somewhat subtle atmosphere.
In the open space in the center of the square, the old village chief was sitting and drinking tea with an elderly man with a neat goatee and wearing a dark blue silk shirt.
Liu Bingbing gracefully prepared tea with her delicate hands, but a hint of seriousness was also evident in her eyes.
Behind the goatee-bearded old man stood three young men.
Two men and one woman, all dressed in smart clothes with metallic embellishments, exuded a confidence and a touch of arrogance typical of those from Qiang Village.
Leading the group was a tall girl with a neat ponytail and sharp, piercing eyes; to her left was a muscular, burly boy with a buzz cut; and to her right was a tall, thin boy wearing goggles who appeared somewhat taciturn.
In Luoshen Village, the Sea Emperor leaned against a millstone with his arms crossed, still looking sleepy, but occasionally a glint of light flashed in his slightly narrowed eyes.
"Old Lei, you've arrived several days earlier than usual this year." The old village chief picked up his teacup, blew on the foam, and his tone was unreadable. "What's wrong? So eager to taste our Luoshen Village's new tea?"
Lei Zhen, the village chief of Tianji Village, stroked his goatee and chuckled, his voice booming: "Brother Luo, you flatter me. I just heard that your village has had an unusual year, producing a once-in-a-century dual-attribute genius. I was so curious that I couldn't resist coming to admire his talent and also to let the younger generation learn from him."
His gaze swept casually over the crowd, lingering particularly on a few boys who had just completed their coming-of-age ceremony: "Besides, it's a tradition for these villages to exchange ideas and progress together every year. The earlier they come, the sooner they can learn from each other, so the children can broaden their horizons. Don't you think so?"
The words sounded polite, but everyone present could hear the probing and provocative undertones.
Liu Bingbing paused almost imperceptibly as she poured the tea.
Poseidon yawned widely.
The old village chief chuckled twice, put down his teacup, and said, "I wouldn't call it learning, but it's true that we're exchanging ideas and making progress together. Since you're here, shall we follow the old rules?"
"The usual rules will apply." A glint flashed in Lei Zhen's eyes. "Let's have three matches."
The old village chief nodded: "Alright."
Their eyes met briefly in mid-air before separating.
The crowd stirred immediately, a mixture of tension and excitement. This annual exchange, though ostensibly for friendly competition, was also a matter of village pride, and no one wanted to lose.
Qin Xue clenched her small fist and whispered to You Feng, "See, I told you, he's here to cause trouble. You Feng, you just got a new deck, do you want to...?"
You Feng's gaze bypassed the two village chiefs and landed on the three Tianji Village boys, especially lingering for a moment on the tall, thin boy wearing goggles.
The voice of the Great Sun Woman echoed softly in his mind:
"Youfeng...that person has a very faint scent of lightning on him, somewhat similar to Lingfeng's, but more...more mechanical, more rigid. However, it doesn't seem to be the token itself, just something related to it."
You Feng understood. It seemed that clues about the token wouldn't appear so easily.
"Xue'er," Youfeng asked in a low voice, "Do you know anything about these three people from Tianji Village?"
Qin Xue nodded, her expression solemn: "That tall girl is called Lei Qingyuan. She is said to be the niece of Old Man Lei's family. Her ability to control the situation and manage resources is said to be very impressive."
"That strong one is Lei Meng."
"As for that guy wearing goggles..." Qin Xue frowned, "His name is Lei You, and he's very mysterious. I heard that his awakening was very quiet, but Old Man Lei seems to value him highly. Nobody knows exactly what deck he uses."
You Feng silently memorized it. At that moment, Lei Zhen spoke again, his voice echoing throughout the square:
"Brother Luo, since it's settled, shall we begin? Let's show everyone how much potential our kids have this year."
The old village chief nodded, then turned his gaze to the younger generation from Luoshen Village: "In that case, we'll send three people. Xue'er, you'll count as one."
Qin Xue took a deep breath and stepped forward: "Yes, Grandpa Village Chief!"
The old village chief's gaze swept over the crowd, lingering for a moment on You Feng before turning to the other two teenagers who had just come of age this year: "Chen Ping, Li Xiaoyu, you two come out and see the world."
Chen Ping, the rock race boy, and Li Xiaoyu, the mage race girl, who had been called out, walked out somewhat nervously.
On the other side of Tianji Village, Lei Qingyuan, Lei Meng, and Lei You also stepped forward together.
The atmosphere instantly became tense, with the two teams facing off three against one.
As is customary, the exchange and sparring is not a direct one-on-one battle, but rather a series of rounds where players take turns, with the winners remaining until all three members of one side are defeated. This tests not only individual skill but also strategic planning and the players' endurance.
"Who goes first in the first round?" the old village chief asked.
Lei Zhen chuckled, appearing quite magnanimous: "When in Rome, do as the host says. Brother Luo, you make the arrangements."
The old village chief didn't stand on ceremony and looked at Chen Ping: "Chen Ping, you go and lead the charge. Remember, victory or defeat is secondary; the important thing is the experience."
"Yes!" Chen Ping nodded vigorously, his eyes resolute despite his nervousness. He walked to the temporary duel area in the arena and unfolded his rather simple Rock-type duel disk.