Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Jiang Binglun lowered his gaze, carefully examining this [Spirit Energy Card].
The spirit pattern paper was cut with slightly rough workmanship, but the size was just right, conforming to the standard card dimensions of 5.7 * 8.8.
Handmade cards inevitably have some margin of error, but as long as it stays within a reasonable range, it is not a problem. This is especially true for low-star cards; being slightly larger or smaller does not affect usability.
For cards of two stars and above, the dimensional requirements become much more precise, and three-star cards even more so.
The reason is simple: it is to ensure a higher completion quality of the spirit pattern design.
If the card paper is too large, the spirit patterns will disperse; if it is too small, the patterns cannot fully expand. Taking into account card masters’ usage habits, the current standard size was established.
The edges of the card paper had some untrimmed burrs. This would not affect the card’s function, but it was not aesthetically pleasing.
However, for a Libra-type card maker, this was difficult to tolerate.
Nevertheless, this was not a criterion for rating stars, so Jiang Binglun merely frowned and said, “Card size: pass.”
The card-making classroom was extremely quiet. Everyone had put down their unfinished cards and stared over expectantly.
Cai Xinji’s expression was undoubtedly the ugliest.
Jiang Binglun flipped the card over and looked at the spirit pattern design on the front.
The design of the [Spirit Energy Card] was abstract in nature. Complex, intertwined lines formed a dizzying image.
Such irregular spirit patterns were the most difficult to master, requiring extremely strong memory and countless repetitions before one could possibly draw it in a single stroke.
And drawing it in a single stroke was one of the important criteria for card grading.
Without a doubt, Ning Zhu’s spirit pattern was drawn in a single stroke. Although some parts looked slightly inexperienced and the pauses were quite obvious, the overall flow was very smooth and met the three-star standard.
Jiang Binglun said, “Spirit pattern design: pass.”
Upon hearing this, the students in the classroom had already begun to get excited.
It actually worked!
This so-called Ancient God card master from who-knows-where really managed to make a three-star [Spirit Energy Card]?
Jiang Binglun then placed the card above his card ring.
He was not using it, but sensing the distribution of spiritual energy within it.
During the card-making process, a card master injects a small amount of spiritual energy, which is then guided by the spirit patterns to absorb the dispersed spiritual energy of the world and store it within the spirit pattern paper, waiting to be used by a card master.
This is the principle of the [Spirit Energy Card]. Sensing the residual spiritual energy left by the creator not only allows one to determine how fully the spirit pattern has been activated, but also to identify who created it.
Impersonation is impossible.
Everyone’s spiritual energy fluctuations are as unique as fingerprints.
Jiang Binglun took the card down and placed it lightly on the table, saying in his usual indifferent tone, “Activation rate: 70%, meets the standard of a three-star [Spirit Energy Card].”
Gasps echoed repeatedly throughout the classroom.
Lu Xianle and Lin Ting, who had been too nervous earlier and now too excited, could not suppress their voices: “Great!”
Li Leyang’s roommates also clenched their fists and shouted in unison: “Yes!”
The other preparatory class students were all filled with shock and disbelief.
She really made a three-star [Spirit Energy Card]?
How did she do it!
Ning Zhu did not feel excited just because she had made a three-star card. Her expression remained calm as she confirmed with Jiang Binglun, “Professor Jiang, is this a qualified three-star [Spirit Energy Card]?”
Jiang Binglun replied, “Correct. It is a qualified three-star [Spirit Energy Card].”
Ning Zhu asked again, “Can it be used by someone?”
Jiang Binglun said, “Are you saying nonsense?”
Ning Zhu did not get angry at all. Instead, she smiled brightly and said, “Thank you, Professor Jiang.”
Jiang Binglun: “…………”
Lu Xianle and Lin Ting couldn’t hold it in anymore. They left their seats and ran over, saying, “Xiao Zhu, you’re amazing! A three-star! I can’t even make a one-star… ah, forget it, I can’t even draw properly.”
The surrounding students also couldn’t resist anymore. One by one, they gathered around, wanting to see the three-star [Spirit Energy Card] personally certified by Professor Jiang.
Cai Xinji, on the other hand, was squeezed to the side. He felt as miserable as he could be. What made him even more infuriated was that Ning Zhu didn’t even glance at him—she completely ignored him.
Test the card?
She seemed to have forgotten about that.
Cai Xinji only felt anger rising in his chest and shouted, “I’ll test the card!”
Before anyone else could speak, Ning Zhu said, “No need.”
Cai Xinji widened his eyes at her. “You…”
Ning Zhu carefully picked up her three-star card and said, “Since Professor Jiang has said this is a qualified three-star [Spirit Energy Card], there’s no need to test it.”
Lin Ting, despite looking small and delicate, had the most rebellious personality among the three of them. She immediately snapped at Cai Xinji: “[Spirit Energy Card]s are one-time consumables. This one is worth at least a few thousand yuan. Why should we let you use it!”
Testing the card means using the card.
For something like a [Spirit Energy Card], once it is tested, it becomes an empty card.
After hearing this, Cai Xinji instead became more energized. He said, “She was the one who said I could test the card!”
Ning Zhu: “I changed my mind.”
“You…”
“I was emotional earlier and acted too impulsively,” Ning Zhu said guiltily. “Everyone is right. I don’t need to prove anything to you, so there’s no need for you to test the card.”
Cai Xinji exploded. “You’re going back on your word!”
The people around them couldn’t take it anymore and spoke up one after another:
“What the hell, Cai Xinji, do you have no shame? She worked so hard to make a three-star [Spirit Energy Card], why should she let you use it!”
“Why was Ning Zhu impulsive before? Wasn’t it because you provoked her? How can you still try to take her three-star card!”
“The Cai family really can’t make it onto the stage—lots of dirty money but no manners.”
Cai Xinji’s face turned bright red, especially at the last sentence, which clearly hit his sore spot.
When had he ever suffered such anger!
Why should he be bullied by some country bumpkin from a pure-human background!
Today, he was definitely going to destroy that broken card of hers!
“So what if it’s just a three-star [Spirit Energy Card]?” Cai Xinji tapped his card ring and directly transferred 10,000 yuan to Ning Zhu’s student card. “I’m buying it!”
Ning Zhu was just about to speak.
Cai Xinji continued, “This is Professor Jiang’s classroom, a ‘fair’ field. If you said it, you must do it. Today I’m definitely testing this card!”
Ning Zhu visibly paused and avoided Jiang Binglun’s gaze.
Cai Xinji added, “Director Jiang, am I wrong? She agreed to let me test the card, and I also transferred money for the card. That’s fair enough, right?”
Jiang Binglun said, “Yes, this is very ‘fair’.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Cai Xinji became smug and looked at Ning Zhu. “Give me the card.”
Ning Zhu’s face turned slightly pale, clearly torn between heartache and regret.
This only made Cai Xinji feel even more satisfied.
He was going to destroy this card right in front of her!
Although Cai Xinji was angry, his mind was still working.
He could see it clearly—Ning Zhu most likely never expected she could actually make a [Spirit Energy Card], which was why she treasured it so much.
Making cards is a rather mystical thing.
Sometimes even experienced card masters are not guaranteed to consistently produce a three-star [Spirit Energy Card].
Ning Zhu had simply gotten lucky and accidentally managed to make this one.
This was an important card-making achievement.
With this three-star [Spirit Energy Card], she could even go register for a card-making license at the Card Master Association!
Ning Zhu was reluctant to part with the card in her hands, and the classmates were also glaring at Cai Xinji indignantly.
But Cai Xinji wasn’t wrong—Ning Zhu had indeed agreed to let him test the card.
In a “fair” field, no one would care whether it was said in the heat of the moment or not.
Ning Zhu’s hand trembled as she handed over the card, then looked at Jiang Binglun and said, “Professor Jiang, I did agree to let him test the card, so he cannot destroy it.”
Jiang Binglun said sarcastically, “He can only test the card.”
Cai Xinji: “Then I’ll test it!” Anyway, after using it, the card would be—completely ruined.
The moment Cai Xinji got the card, he lifted his head high like a rooster that had won a fight.
What an idiot!
If she hadn’t insisted on letting him test it earlier, he wouldn’t have been able to get his hands on this broken card at all!
Cai Xinji deliberately slowed his movements and, under everyone’s gaze, placed the card onto his card ring.
A three-star [Spirit Energy Card] contains abundant spiritual energy.
And spiritual energy only benefits card masters.
The patterns on the card lit up under the card ring, and streams of spiritual energy surged into Cai Xinji’s body.
The watching students all felt pained for it.
Most of them were not short of money, since they were mostly children of card-master families.
But thinking that this was “a three-star card made by a first-year student in her very first card-making class,” they still felt it was a pity.
To be ruined like this.
Cai Xinji, that bastard!
“Pain… it hurts!”
Just as Cai Xinji was enjoying watching the three-star [Spirit Energy Card] turn into an ordinary waste card, a wave of intense pain suddenly shot up from his arm and then spread through his entire body.
It hurt too much!
He couldn’t help but groan out loud.
Ning Zhu froze slightly and asked, “What’s wrong with him?”
She quickly looked at Jiang Binglun and said, “Professor Jiang, is there something wrong with this card?”
Jiang Binglun looked deeply at Ning Zhu and said, “There is no problem.”
Ning Zhu: “Then he…”
Cai Xinji staggered to the ground in pain, rolling around and screaming, “It hurts! It hurts!”
The students all retreated in shock and confusion, clearing a large open space.
Cai Xinji clutched his arms, curling his legs up as he rolled on the ground.
Jiang Binglun had already activated a [Flying Carpet Card]. Cai Xinji was immobilized on the flying carpet and quickly sent to the medical room.
The students were stunned.
Ning Zhu said, “I’ll go take a look.”
Lu Xianle and Lin Ting immediately said, “We’ll go with you!”
The remaining students also came back to their senses. With no teacher in the classroom, they couldn’t sit still anymore. All of them were extremely curious about what had happened, so they took out their [Sliding Cards] and followed them to the medical room.
Cai Xinji was in so much pain he wished he were dead, crying and shouting all the way like he was calling for his parents and ancestors.
Ma Jinhua frowned deeply at the sight and said, “What’s going on?!”
Jiang Binglun: “Not sure.”
“I’ll use a [Pain Relief Card] on him first.”
“I already used one on him. No effect.”
“This…” Ma Jinhua stopped wasting words and quickly examined his body and spiritual meridians.
Cai Xinji was in too much pain to speak, able only to let out miserable groans.
Ma Jinhua carried out a series of examinations, her expression growing increasingly grave.
Jiang Binglun asked, “What’s going on?”
Ma Jinhua shook her head and said, “There is no problem.”
Jiang Binglun: “?”
Ma Jinhua: “There is nothing wrong with his body. His spiritual meridians are full of spiritual energy, and all indicators are perfectly healthy.”
The students from the card-making class had also arrived and happened to hear Doctor Ma’s words.
They looked at each other, and someone suddenly said, “He’s faking it!”
Everyone immediately came to a realization.
Wang Huan jumped out and said, “He’s acting! He’s jealous that Ning Zhu made a three-star [Spirit Energy Card], so he’s trying to frame her! That card was already verified by Professor Jiang and confirmed to be fully qualified. He insisted on taking it to test it, Ning Zhu refused, and he even tried to humiliate her with money! Ning Zhu had no choice but to give him the card, and after testing it he started putting on this act of unbearable pain!”
“Exactly!” Lin Ting also stepped forward and said, “Doctor Ma already said there’s nothing wrong with his body. If he’s really in that much pain, how can all his indicators still be healthy!”
What a coincidence…
The intense pain in Cai Xinji’s body suddenly disappeared.
It was as if he had just woken from a nightmare, and after abruptly waking up, he was still shaken with lingering fear.
Bai Ze snorted coldly and said, “You’re still too soft-hearted. If it were me, I would’ve let him suffer for half an hour!”
Ning Zhu had adjusted the duration of the pain, making it last only about seven or eight minutes.
Ma Jinhua felt it was utterly absurd and said, “Out, out, all of you get out!”
The medical room was already busy enough—there was no place for these unruly kids to play around.
She directly threw Cai Xinji off the bed and chased all the students out.
Only Jiang Binglun remained in the medical room. Ma Jinhua then finally reacted and asked in surprise, “Wait, what did they say? A first-year student made a three-star [Spirit Energy Card]?”
Jiang Binglun gave a faint laugh: “More than that.”
Ma Jinhua: “???”
Jiang Binglun looked toward the departing students, expressionless, and said, “Even a young tiger is still a tiger. Eventually, it will learn to bite and kill.”