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

Chapter 151 No expense spared, no means necessary!
"Wait, I remember you didn't just insert this card into the card reader!"

Xiong Chenghu carefully recalled the memory and confirmed that there was no problem with his memory. He clearly saw that Xu Yan inserted "Crystal Slime" into the card reader!
Xu Yan smiled slightly, and with a gentle flick of his fingers, as if by magic, the slightly reddish black iron civilian card in his hand transformed into a bronze combat card with ornate runes.

Before Xiong Chenghu could yell and shout, he snapped his fingers again, and the bronze card transformed back into a black iron civilian card engraved with light blue words. The three cards unfolded like a fan, and then disappeared from between his fingers without warning.

"I know you're not convinced yet."

Xu Yan stared into Xiong Chenghu's eyes. "Why don't we try again? This time I promise to use only 'Crystal Slime'."

"Okay, come again!"

Xiong Chenghu racked his brains but couldn't figure out what tricks Xu Yan could pull off using only "crystal slime".

After two rounds of combat, he gradually became familiar with Xu Yan's speed and rhythm, striving not to give Xu Yan any chance.

As Xu Yan crossed his arms again and swung them wildly, attempting to summon his guardian spirit, Xiong Chenghu gritted his teeth and pounced, delivering a fierce and unparalleled hand chop to Xu Yan's trembling card reader.

This chop shot only used 70% of its power.

The purpose was to draw out Xu Yan's hidden dirty tricks.

Unexpectedly, Xu Yan seemed determined to fight him honestly this time, without any change in his attitude.

The cardless cultivator's hand strike landed squarely on the card reader, actually severing the leather bandage that the card reader was wrapped in and detaching it from Xu Yan's wrist.

Xu Yan's pupils suddenly contracted, and he frantically tried to retrieve the card reader.

Xiong Chenghu, however, reacted quickly and kicked the card reader away.

"I won this round!"

Watching the still-vibrating card reader arc high into the air and land behind Hou Zhijian, Xiong Chenghu felt completely relieved and pounced on Xu Yan like a hungry tiger pouncing on a sheep.

Then, he was completely stuck to the "jelly" that had been waiting patiently.

Not only were its mouth, nose, eyes, and ears covered, making it impossible to breathe, but its limbs were also firmly bound by the tentacles extended from the crystal slime mold, making it look like a fat, stupid headless fly that had fallen into an overwhelming spider web.

Xu Yan whistled softly.

"Jelly" wriggled and released the red-faced Xiong Chenghu, then lay on the ground like a lump of mud.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!"

Xiong Chenghu coughed violently, realizing he had lost again in a muddled way. He cried out in disbelief, "I clearly—"

"That's right, you kicked away my card reader."

Xu Yan calmly explained, "But even without a card reader, we can still activate the sealing card and summon the guardian spirit."

Historically, sealed cards and card readers were not invented in the same era.

The original remnants of the past are stored in ancient rings, swords, and armor. The first summoning often requires the blood of a spirit master, but there is no such thing as a "card reader".

Later, the remnant soul storage media such as rings, swords, and armor were integrated into a standardized sealing card. In order to speed up the response, intuitively display the state of the remnant soul in the card, reconcile the conflict between yin and yang, and protect the life magnetic field of the spirit master, the card reader was invented.

In other words, anyone can learn to directly activate a sealed card if they are willing to pay a certain price and undergo a short period of special training.

Xu Yan revealed the answer. He had just tampered with the card reader, loosening an internal screw so that it would vibrate violently even without a card inserted.

The real "crystal slime" had already been secretly held in his palm.

As for the cost of activating the sealed card directly without using a card reader, it is—

Xu Yan showed his palm to the three of them.

His fingers and palms were covered in burn marks from electric current, turning them black.

The sealed card also has tiny cracks, which require careful maintenance to restore it to its original state.

As the saying goes, "the ten fingers are connected to the heart," and after seeing this, the three of them felt an excruciating pain in their fingertips, and their gazes toward Xu Yan became increasingly incredulous.

"Of course, the cost of not using a card reader is severe, but even the most severe cost is better than losing the battle—in the wilderness, losing the battle could very well mean death."

Xu Yan calmly said, "Moreover, as practitioners of the cardless cultivation style, your bodies are like steel that has been forged through countless trials, and you should be able to withstand more hardship than ordinary spirit masters."

Xiong Rulong and Hou Zhijian exchanged a glance, both of them deep in thought as they found themselves at their wits' end.

"Is this what you call 'unlimited card flow'?"

Xiong Chenghu's gaze shifted back and forth between Xu Yan's nearly charred fingers and the cracked card.

A new light shone in his eyes.

"That's right. Break free from all constraints, transcend all boundaries, forget the concept of different styles, start from actual combat, spare no expense, and use any means necessary. This is my understanding of the 'Unlimited Card Style'."

Xu Yan smiled and said, "The three matches just now were only the most basic applications of the Unlimited Card Flow. There are many advanced techniques, which I will introduce to you gradually when I have the chance."

"Advanced techniques?"

Xiong Chenghu's eyes lit up, and he asked impatiently, "Brother Xu, what about, for example?"

"For example, trash talk."

Xu Yan said, "Besides trash-talking the enemy, it's even more important to trash-talk the enemy's guardian spirit. We all know that guardian spirits are not just simple programs or energy bodies, but quasi-life forms with some memories, emotions, and even will, and they all have incredibly stubborn obsessions."

"Obsession is their source of power, but it can also be their fatal weakness. Going all out against obsession, even if it can't make the opponent go into a state of demonic possession, at least has the opportunity to interfere with the remnant soul magnetic field of the opponent's guardian spirit, greatly weakening the compatibility between the opponent and the guardian spirit."

"Of course, in a duel between ordinary spirit summoners, they transfer most of their life force to their guardian spirit. They are panting after only a few steps, and are true 'spirit summoning snails'. They don't even have the ability to spew trash talk."

"But you're different. The biggest characteristic of those who practice the cardless style is that they're tough, strong, and have explosive physical abilities, right? Fighting while spewing trash talk is definitely no problem for you, is it?"

"Charge! Charge at the opponent's guardian spirit and hurl trash talk at them?"

The fifteen-year-old cardless boy felt as if another door had been opened in his mind. He thought about it seriously for a moment, "But, aren't these tactics a bit, uh, a bit despicable?"

"if not?"

Xu Yan spread his hands, "Besides these insidious, cunning, despicable, and immoral tactics, what other way is there to help you transform yourself in just half a month, shine in the Dawn Cup, and save the Mad Iron Club?"

(End of this chapter)