A Card In Hand

Chapter 28: I Don’t Want to Take the Blame!

Platinum dragons.

These are a special currency exclusively for summoners, containing a small amount of Source Energy.

Even in the Celestial Realm, this currency retains its value, fixed at ten times that of the largest denomination of currency in circulation on the Tianfeng Continent—the gold shield.

Gold shields, silver swords, silver stars, copper coins, and copper sons are the circulating currencies on the Tianfeng Continent.

Their ratios are tenfold.

In other words.

A single gold shield, the highest value coin in ordinary circulation, is equivalent to ten thousand of the smallest denomination copper sons, while one platinum dragon equals ten gold shields.

For ordinary people, the gold shield is the highest denomination they can use.

The platinum dragon, however, is a currency bestowed by the gods of the Celestial Realm exclusively for summoners.

If a commoner were to use it, it would be seen as an act of blasphemy. Discovery of such an act would result in whipping at the least and, at worst, execution by fire in public.

For the main family of the Iron Clan in the capital, a hundred platinum dragons is not a significant sum.

But for their branch in Silverlight City.

A hundred platinum dragons is no small amount.

The catch is, gold shields cannot be directly exchanged for platinum dragons, although summoners could exchange platinum dragons for gold shields if they chose to do so.

Seeing the terrified expression on Li Ao’s face, the aged voice did not pressure him to make an immediate decision: “You can make a decision before the graduation performance in the capital three months from now. Li Ao, I suggest you report to the head of the Iron Clan Family; perhaps they will have some good news for you.”

“Thank you, teacher,” Li Ao bowed, then asked, “Is there anything else, teachers?”

“That’s all, you may go back!”

Lei Bao didn’t want to speak another word to Li Ao.

Among the newcomers, a martial arts genius had emerged.

But he couldn’t feel happy about it.

Because.

Li Ao’s arrival had greatly disrupted his previous plans.

If it weren’t for the agents of the Pantheon watching closely, he wouldn’t allow Li Ao to feign ignorance in his presence.

Once Li Ao left, the representatives from the Pantheon also took their leave.

Three shadows slowly rose from their seats.

After a slight nod.

They vanished without a sound.

Lei Bao, who also stood to return the gesture, took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the rage in his heart.

Despite being the chief supervisor of the newcomer’s trial, some things could not be openly discussed, so even though Li Ao’s appearance annoyed him, Lei Bao endured.

“Could this kid be someone our rivals sent to cause chaos?” The man shrouded in a large cloak harbored such suspicions.

“The life energy is indeed that of a fifteen-year-old. If our rivals wanted to send someone to disrupt us, they would unlikely send such a novice. Someone has clearly been guiding this boy, and with his unique personal talents, he can indeed stir up some minor accidents, but no matter his capability, he is just a little brat. I called him here just to confirm that no one was impersonating him. It’s pretty certain now that there’s no impersonation; what can such a little brat do?” Lei Bao was dismissive of Li Ao.

“Better to be cautious,” the man in the large cloak advised more warily.

“The Cotton Smoke Combat Suit, Dragon Scale Armor, and Phantom Light Orb, these three treasures, can increase Jinxi’s defense to an extreme of 1,800. Even if Jinxi is currently weakened by a curse and can’t perform at full strength, no newcomer can break his defense,” Lei Bao confidently believed in his plan.

“There’s something odd about the curse on Jinxi, and yet I can’t pinpoint what it is,” sighed the man in the cloak.

“If there truly is external interference, we won’t need to act; the old ghosts at the Pantheon will settle everything,” Lei Bao thought that even the most audacious opponent wouldn’t dare to cause trouble in the trial temple.

The Pantheon had sent three elders this time.

Regardless of how the battles among the newcomers ended.

Dead or alive.

They would not intervene.

But if someone from the outside tried to sneak in and stir trouble, they probably wouldn’t even make it to the ring before being turned to ash.

The cloaked man pondered for a long while before finally nodding: “If that’s the case, then let’s proceed as planned!”

Back at the Newcomer’s Trial Plaza.

Li Ao transformed the summoning suppressor around his neck into a card, handing it back to the assistant referee, Stone Hand, who was still insisting on working despite his injuries.

“Are you sure? Do you understand that by removing this summon-lock collar, you are completely giving up the subsequent matches?”

Stone Hand asked Li Ao for confirmation.

“Yes, I’m sure I want to give up the subsequent matches,” Li Ao nodded affirmatively.

“May I know why?”

Stone Hand was somewhat puzzled.

“I’m tired,” Li Ao shrugged his shoulders.

“If you insist, then you will be disqualified for not having enough points, are you sure you want to give up?”

Stone Hand urged Li Ao to reconsider.

“Passing three items is enough to graduate smoothly, failing this one doesn’t matter.” Li Ao said nonchalantly as he turned and left.

“…” Stone Hand was speechless.

You leave nonchalantly.

The problem is, how do I write my report now?

A martial arts genius who made Prince Jinxi utterly defeated in a fight, and now he’s going to fail this evaluation?

To outsiders, it would seem suspicious!

I don’t want to take the blame for this!

This competition has been the worst for me, first hitting Prince Jinxi hard enough to make him vomit blood and then having to graciously forgive him!

I thought it was over, but here’s Li Ao giving up the competition, making it look like I’m intentionally targeting him. I’m wronged!

A completely clean competition, and yet I’m painted as the villain? Don’t you ever consider my feelings?

Stone Hand felt desperate, his heart in turmoil.

And yet he was helpless.

Facing such students, one can only sigh at their misfortune.

Encountering new students like Li Ao and Prince Jinxi, not only did I get beaten for nothing, I also had to take the blame…

“Where’s that guy?”

Cang Yue suddenly came up and grabbed Fuxi.

“Who?”

Fuxi was a bit dazed.

“Isn’t he your little brother?”

Cang Yue, annoyed, punched Fuxi before he could explain.

“Oh, you mean Li Ao… stop hitting, I don’t know where he is, he probably went back to sleep!”

Fuxi guessed that Li Ao had returned to sleep, this once brilliant cousin had changed since returning from the Trial Grounds; all he did was eat and sleep, resembling a freeloader, completely different from before, who knows why he became like this.

“How can you be a boss?”

Cang Yue beat him up without a break.

“What did I do wrong?”

Fuxi was confused by the beating.

“Do I really need to tell you where you’re wrong? Don’t you have any self-awareness?”

Cang Yue kicked him, sending Fuxi flying ten meters away.

Fuxi rolled up and stood.

He checked his body.

Nothing was broken.

Immediately reassured, he ran to Huo Mei to inquire: “Your little cousin Cang Yue, what’s with him?”

Huo Mei didn’t even glance at him, waving her hand as if shooing away an annoying fly: “Go away, I’m not interested in your men’s melodrama, I’m in a bad mood, stay away from me!”

Fuxi was instantly in tears, my goddess, don’t be so cruel, I’m your most loyal follower!

While Li Ao was heading back to the newcomer dormitory to sleep.

Almost at the dormitory door.

Suddenly.

A breeze blew.

A strange transparent person appeared with it.

Li Ao, as if he did not see the transparent person, pushed the door directly.

The transparent person coldly hummed, “You’re a smart man, I think you know what you should do next!”

“What if I don’t understand?”

Li Ao asked with a smile, responding to the other party.