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

Chapter 147 Three Pieces of Uncut Jade
Even as the fragmented light and shadow dissipated like dancing butterflies, the hearts of the three members of the Kuangtie team continued to pound, unable to extricate themselves from the intense battle.

In fact, they had already watched this championship match from last year.

But in the past, they were all simple videos. Never before had they been so immersive and close, as if the sweat and blood of the two contestants would splatter onto their faces.

Moreover, before today, they never thought they could become the main force of the Kuangtie team and have the opportunity to face masters like "Wei Fang" and "Carlos".

Therefore, when enjoying the game, one should approach it with a spectator's mindset.

Only now, when they put themselves in the shoes of the "challengers" and faced Wei Fang's iron fist and Carlos's dazzling skills, did they truly realize the gap between them and the difficulty of the challenge.

A rare glimmer of hope appeared on Hou Zhijian's face, which was as stiff as if he were wearing a cast-iron mask, only to be quickly replaced by an even greater sense of loss.

Deep down, he also longed to create a legend like Wei Fang of the Brilliant Club, rising from a sparring partner to a key player.

However, he also knew very well how much his talent was different from Wei Fang's—if he were to stand in front of "Golden Boy" Carlos, he probably wouldn't even last half a minute.

Xiong Rulong was once again captivated by Carlos's endless array of sealing cards and soul skills.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his ten fingers eager to try, wishing he could pull out all the guardian spirits in the illusory light and shadow and press them onto himself.

But when he thought about his identity and his current predicament, his eyes dimmed again, and all his words about the future turned into a silent sigh.

Only Xiong Chenghu, like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, still had an unruly and arrogant look on his face.

However, the light in his eyes flickered, clearly indicating a lack of confidence.

Xiong Ruyue took in the reactions of the three people.

I could roughly guess what the three of them were thinking.

However, there was nothing they could do but ask Hou Zhijian to try to mimic Wei Fang and Carlos's fighting style to increase the intensity of the Xiong brothers' fight.

The results were as expected.

Although Hou Zhijian could also activate multiple sealing cards at the same time, his nerve reaction, ultimate spiritual pressure, and card strength were worlds apart from "Golden Boy" Carlos. He was completely unable to simulate the "ever-changing, unpredictable, rapid and unstoppable" style of the multi-card style, and could not penetrate Xiong Rulong's defense at all.

Conversely, the same applies; although Xiong Rulong could easily blast apart the low-level guardian spirit summoned by Hou Zhijian.

However, it still couldn't break through Hou Zhijian's muscle bundles, which he had honed through countless trials and tribulations and were comparable to steel bars.

The sparring session quickly devolved into a brawl between drunkards in the street, a complete amateur fight.

Replacing him with Xiong Chenghu resulted in an even worse outcome.

The young man, not yet sixteen, possesses astonishing strength and explosive speed. If his thunderous punch were to land squarely on Hou Zhijian's face, it could very well knock this taciturn sparring partner to the ground.

The problem was that he lacked combat experience. Hou Zhijian made seven or eight mistakes in a row, and he fell for them every time. Each mistake was different, and in the end, he made a basic mistake and was cleanly and neatly taken down by Hou Zhijian. He fell and grimaced, his face turning red from his cheeks to the tips of his ears.

Xiong Ruyue closed her eyes in despair.

It felt like there was a little person drumming frantically inside both temples, and my whole head was buzzing.

Just then, a calm knock came from outside the training room.

"Sister Xiong, someone from the bank is here."

Xu Yan pushed open the door and whispered in Xiong Ruyue's ear, "They said they need to assess our ability to repay the loan."

"What!" Xiong Ruyue's eyebrows shot up.

He had no time to worry about the predicament of the Kuangtie team. He instructed the three team members to carry out regular training and then jogged out of the training room.

"Everyone's in low spirits!"

Xu Yan closed the door, looked at the three listless team members, and said with a smile, "Why does it seem like the Kuangtie Club is about to close down and everyone is going their separate ways?"

They were all young people in their early twenties, and he got along well with the three of them.

Hou Zhijian is the only multi-card player in the Kuangtie Club. He relies on Xu Yan to maintain and modify all his cards, so he has the most contact with him and the deepest friendship with him.

Xiong Rulong possesses a strong physique with the "Innate Cardless Flow Saint Body," but he is determined to become a multi-card flow master like "Golden Boy" Carlos. He doesn't usually come into contact with many outsiders at the Kuangtie Club, but he finally got his hands on Xu Yan, a card maker, and naturally he won't let him go.

Xiong Chenghu wasn't particularly interested in the sealing cards, but with his youthful spirit, he wanted to become a treasure hunter like his deceased father, exploring the depths of the wilderness. Therefore, he often asked Xu Yan about the thrilling legends of the wilderness and even the polluted areas.

"Brother Xu, I'm afraid your prediction has unfortunately come true this time."

"We're all on the same side, there's no need to hold back," the youngest member, Xiong Chenghu, couldn't help but say. "If we can't achieve good results in the 'Dawn Cup' in half a month, the Kuangtie Club might really have to close down!"

Xiong Rulong kicked his younger brother.

However, he did not refute it, and he and Hou Zhijian looked at each other in silence.

Xu Yan understood the predicament of the Kuangtie Club better than they did.

He did consider joining the Kuangtie team, solving problems while "amazing everyone with his skills and rising to fame".

However, he is merely a prospective citizen of the Heroic Spirit Alliance and has not yet registered with the Dawn City Spirit Card Association. Without a special invitation, it would be difficult for him to qualify for the competition.

More importantly, Xu Yan simply did not believe the news that "Dawn Heavy Industry has discovered a new mineral vein with amazing reserves outside the city."

He still trusted the Black Dream organization's judgment more, as well as Ms. Lelena's personal experience—Dawn Heavy Industries' transformation failed, it encountered a major crisis, and was about to declare bankruptcy.

If this is indeed the case, the so-called "new mineral vein" is likely just a smokescreen released by Liming Heavy Industry to reassure investors.

Even if I achieve excellent results in the Dawn Cup, it will be impossible for me to use this opportunity to enter the core layer of Dawn Heavy Industry.

They might even be "exiled" to a fictitious new mine, completely removed from the battle for the Myriad Souls Sect token.

More importantly, once he shines at the Dawn Cup, he will immediately become a public figure in the spotlight.

Xiong Ruyue would arrange a training plan for him down to the hour.

His rivals at various clubs will scrutinize his every move with a magnifying glass.

The ever-present press conference, disguised and lurking outside the front and back doors and every window of the Kuangtie Club, kept a close watch on him 24/7.

There are also enthusiastic viewers—over the past month, he has learned firsthand how these supporters idolize Chu Zhifeng.

How will he then gather intelligence, steal secrets, and do all sorts of shady things?
However, while I am certainly not suited to play, these three oddballs in front of me...

Xu Yan stared intently at the dejected Hou Zhijian and the Xiong brothers, his eyes shining as if he were examining three uncut gems.

(End of this chapter)