As soon as the Human Emperor Banner came out, I became the Lord of the Old Ones

Chapter 129 Breakup
Xiong Ruyue became increasingly confused.

"Any questions?"

She said, "You know what Xiong Laoda is like; he's already being very conservative today."

"He's conservative, but he can't withstand the other side stirring things up!"

Xu Yan sighed and said helplessly, "Sister Xiong, you are too young. You have no idea that so-called reporters are more despicable than ancient worms that have been sealed for millions of years, and even more foul-smelling than the excrement of ancient worms."

"If you take away the beginning and end of what Old Master Xiong just said, reverse the order, and take it out of context, I can make up a hundred completely different meanings. Do you believe me?"

Xiong Ruyue looked completely unconvinced.

Xu Yan sneered: "For example, if I just cut and paste, Old Master Xiong's words will become like this—'In Dawn City, apart from Kuang Tie Club, all other spirit card clubs are trash; apart from the no-card style, all other styles are crooked and heretical; our Chu Zhifeng is a unique young prodigy who will definitely stand out in the 'Dawn Cup'!'"

Xiong Ruyue stared wide-eyed, hardly believing her ears: "My dad never said that!"

"Yes, if you think about it carefully, every word is something that Grandpa Xiong said."

Xu Yan shrugged. "If you add the bear-like expression of Master Xiong puffing out his beard and glaring, along with his fist-waving gesture, and a headline like 'Shocking, Breaking,' and a few catchy phrases like 'I'm not targeting anyone, you're all trash,' then the Mad Iron Club's fire is really going to burn to the heavens!"

Xiong Ruyue stared in disbelief for a long time.

Finally realized the seriousness of the problem.

"I'll bring Boss Xiong back right now!"

She wanted to go up and end the interview.

Xiong Tieshan, however, seemed to have found a kindred spirit.

He jumped around in front of the female reporter, spitting as he spoke, and occasionally made some gestures of the cardless flow, which amused the female reporter, who exclaimed in amazement, her face beaming with smiles, and her eyes seemed to radiate approval and even admiration.

Xiong Ruyue couldn't get a word in edgewise for a long time.

Just when they were at their wits' end, the door was suddenly pushed open forcefully.

Xiong Ruyue's eyes lit up: "Chu Zhifeng, you've come at the right time! Quickly help your master with the interview!"

Looking past her shoulder, Xu Yan saw Chu Zhifeng, a star member of the Kuangtie Club and the absolute main force of the Kuangtie team, walk in with four or five main team members and the coach.

Although he also cultivated the cardless style, Chu Zhifeng did not have the clumsy feeling of someone with well-developed limbs. Instead, he was a handsome young man with a broad back, a narrow waist, and sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes.

However, the aura between his brows and eyes was too sharp, like a battle sword without a sheath, making people afraid to touch it.

The team behind him exuded a suffocating sense of pressure, as if they had just returned from a battle in the wilderness.

Xu Yan was slightly stunned.

Judging from the slightly tense muscles of the team's main players and coaches, things were getting worse and more interesting.

Due to the special nature of sealed cards, even low-level cards can be mass-produced through industrial production lines.

However, the "software" injected into it, which is the remnant of the past, is still an ever-changing entity.

The same "Night Remnants" or "Crystal Slime" can exhibit a wide variety of skills, personalities, and advancement paths due to differences in their origins, experiences, and memories.

This means that the sale of the sealing cards is not a one-off transaction, but a long-term process involving accompanying teaching and after-sales service.

In the Heroic Spirit Alliance, the trading of newly sealed cards is often conducted through the "Spirit Card Club".

Large card manufacturing companies have equally large clubs that integrate sales, display, repair, training, trading, and even medical and health services.

Small and medium-sized card manufacturing companies, lacking the resources and energy to open their own branded clubs, or in remote border areas like Dawn City, typically entrust the sales and pre-sales and after-sales services of sealed cards to the well-established local card clubs.

Because the products sold directly involve human life safety, mental health, and even the mysteries of the soul.

The Lingka Club's brand is very important.

In order to build a good reputation and establish a brand, most Spirit Card Clubs will form Spirit Control Teams.

They might participate in various levels of spirit-taming competitions, venture directly into the wilderness to hunt ferocious spirits, or cooperate with official agencies such as the Security Bureau to carry out various missions.

In short, you must seize every opportunity to showcase your strengths in order to attract potential customers, turn them into loyal members, and encourage them to make long-term purchases.

In this sense, the Yuling team is the core of a club.

Compared to the club's owner, the core players of the Yuling team are more like the club's living advertisement.

Many ordinary customers are deeply attracted by the charismatic star players in various spirit-controlling competitions, which is why they are willing to sign up for membership cards, hoping to train with the star players, buy the sealing cards endorsed by the star players, or even spend a lot of money to hire the star players as their personal coaches.

Chu Zhifeng has been the absolute mainstay of the Kuangtie team in recent years, and the golden brand of the Kuangtie club.

At this moment, this rising young prodigy strode up to Xiong Tieshan, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice, "Teacher Xiong—"

Xu Yan raised his eyebrows.

Chu Zhifeng has been a member of "Kuang Tie" for many years.

Back when this place was still called "Kuang Tie Martial Arts School," the old master Xiong Tieshan recognized his talent and brought him out of the slums. He carefully taught him to strengthen his body and temper his will, and even took care of his food, clothing, and shelter. Like many low-level laborers in Dawn City, his parents were miners at Dawn Heavy Industry, but unfortunately, they both died in a tragic mining accident ten years ago.

It can be said that for Chu Zhifeng, who had no parents, Xiong Tieshan was like a teacher and a father.

If Xiong Tieshan hadn't spared no expense over the past five years, no matter how outstanding Chu Zhifeng's talent was, he would never have become one of the best among the younger generation in Dawn City.

Unexpectedly, today, "master" has become "teacher".

Then there's the ill-intentioned female reporter, and the strange situation of the Kuangtie Club's inability to recruit a Spirit Card Maintainer.

Xu Yan could guess what Chu Zhifeng was going to say next with his toes.

Sure enough, just as Xiong Tieshan had done with Xu Yan earlier, he pulled Chu Zhifeng over and solemnly pushed him in front of the camera.

Chu Zhifeng, however, dodged away without making a sound.

Facing his bewildered teacher, a hint of guilt flashed across his face.

The next second, the guilt was completely overwhelmed by an unwavering determination.

"Teacher Xiong, I'm here today to submit my application to withdraw from the team."

Chu Zhifeng took a deep breath, tightened his facial muscles, and said in as calm a tone as possible, "From today onwards, I am no longer a member of the Kuangtie team, and I will no longer train at the Kuangtie club."

One sentence, three seconds of dead silence, followed by a gasp.

"……What!"

Xiong Tieshan's eyes widened to three times their normal size. He spread his fingers and patted his ear with a force that nearly ruptured his eardrum. "Ah Feng, are you crazy or drunk? Do you even know what you're saying? Did you overtrain last night and go mad? Are you leaving the team? Aren't you going to participate in the Dawn Cup?"

Chu Zhifeng lowered his eyelids slightly, trying to avoid Xiong Tieshan's aggressive gaze.

But he soon realized how weak his reaction was, and was deeply angered by his own weakness.

He bit his lip with his sharp canine teeth, using the stinging pain and cold blood to awaken his fighting spirit.

"I wasn't drunk, and I certainly didn't go mad."

He gritted his teeth and said, "I, Chu Zhifeng, hereby withdraw from the Kuangtie Team and Kuangtie Club starting today. I will then join the Suixing Team and represent the Suixing Club in this 'Dawn Cup'!"

Xu Yan whistled in his heart.

Shattered Star Club is one of the three major spirit card clubs in Dawn City. It follows the most popular "multi-card strategy" in the current spirit master circle and its overall strength is second only to Dawn Academy.

In previous years, "Kuang Tie Martial Arts School" was just an unknown small player, poorly managed, losing money year after year, and on the verge of bankruptcy. It was not qualified to compete with Shattered Star Club.

However, as Xiong Ruyue changed her business strategy, her commercial operations became very successful.

They have also nurtured a rare and exceptional young talent like Chu Zhifeng, who has distinguished himself in various competitions over the past few years and has consecutively defeated several promising "multi-card" players.

Today's drama was both unexpected and perfectly logical.

Xiong Tieshan's mind didn't work as fast as Xu Yan's.

But having been in the industry for many years, he knew the ins and outs perfectly well and quickly realized what was going on.

His face instantly contorted with fury and anger, and he stretched out his large, fan-like hand to cover the camera.

"How much did Shattered Star pay you?"

He gritted his teeth, staring at his most beloved disciple with a look of utter disappointment.

"It's not about money."

Chu Zhifeng met his mentor's gaze with an open and honest expression, radiating a resolute determination that was ready to be unleashed.

"It's a concept."

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing a gleaming, high-end multi-functional card reader. Amidst the horrified expressions of the crowd, he said, word by word, with unwavering resolve, "Teacher Xiong, I will never forget your kindness in enlightening me. The Kuangtie Club has done nothing to wrong me; it is I who have wronged the Kuangtie Club."

"However, the grace of enlightenment cannot cover up the differences in ideology. The more I practice, the more I realize that the 'no-card' style has its limits, and the 'multi-card' style is the right path, the future that I should strive for with all my might!"

Xiong Tieshan was increasingly shocked.

Judging from his expression, he would feel better if the true disciple betrayed him for money.

However, to abandon the concept of cardless streaming is to abandon his lifelong belief.

Deep within his mind, something seemed to collapse violently.

"What kind of bewitching potion did Shattered Star use on you?"

He murmured incredulously, "Ah Feng, wake up! The human body has no limits. The no-card style is the strongest style. Aren't you the best proof? In the past few years, in so many competitions, big and small, how many 'single-card style' and 'multi-card style' spirit masters have you defeated? Have you forgotten?!"

(End of this chapter)