A Card In Hand

Chapter 20 – Care to Repeat That?

Li Ao returned to Fuxi’s side.

Fuxi’s gaze reluctantly shifted from Huo Mei, patting Li Ao’s shoulder with a consoling air, “Losing isn’t a big deal; it’s all about participation. Consider this as gaining experience! You must know, not everyone in the world can be as lucky as I am. Even for a natural-born lucky guy like me, I pay a lot of attention to accumulating good karma! Young man, it’s okay to face setbacks. We people from the Iron Clan Family are shaped through trials and tribulations… What? You won?!”

Li Ao nodded, “I won.”

Fuxi couldn’t believe his ears, “Did I hear that wrong?”

Li Ao smiled slightly, “I don’t know if you heard wrong, big boss, but I didn’t say it wrong.”

Fuxi still couldn’t believe the outcome, “Little Li Ao, lying isn’t your style. Tell me honestly… you really won? How did you do it?”

“Wild probably got food poisoning and fell over on his own.”

“Food poisoning?”

“If you don’t believe me, just look at him.”

“Foaming at the mouth and unconscious, yeah, it looks like food poisoning.”

“Got it?”

Li Ao, you have dog’s luck! Not bad, not bad, truly worthy of my protection. You must have caught some of my invincible luck!”

Li Ao could say nothing but nod, “Thanks, big boss. Lend me some more luck for my next match against Prince Jinxi.”

Fuxi waved his hands non-stop, “Li Ao, Prince Jinxi is out of your league. Even if I gave you all the luck I’ve ever had, you couldn’t win! That guy’s combat power is at 1276, and yours? Barely a hundred, what do you have to win with? It’s impossible for Prince Jinxi to get food poisoning like Wild did!”

Li Ao spread his hands, clueless, “Well, last night I dreamt I won!”

Fuxi was stunned, “That was a dream, are you taking it seriously?”

Ling Long couldn’t help but feel speechless.

Are you sure you’re really his boss?

Even if you are, you’re dumber than a pig as a boss!

Not knowing your own brother’s capabilities is one thing; he’s good at hiding them, but to believe such a lame excuse as food poisoning?

Hopeless!

On the other side, Tie Zheng and Cang Yue had drawn, unable to determine a winner in five minutes.

Both were covered in scars.

Exhausted.

Tie Zheng gasped for air, trying to recover his combat power, no longer able to pay attention to Li Ao’s situation.

Twenty minutes later.

“Contestant number 244, step up.”

The assistant referee called out, and Li Ao’s second match arrived.

This time, his opponent was Prince Jinxi.

Fuxi had already slipped away.

He thought that Li Ao not getting instantly knocked out was already tremendously lucky. As for winning against Prince Jinxi? That was too wild to even dream about!

Anyway, no matter what, the outcome couldn’t escape a swift defeat, so it was better not to watch his little cousin get trashed.

At this time, as the boss, he couldn’t give up, had to redouble his efforts, like watching more beautiful girls in the matches, gaining a bit of life’s pleasures… no, accumulating more combat experience!

Li Ao walked forward with a calm expression.

As Ling Long passed by him, she wrinkled her nose and snorted, “Liar!”

Li Ao didn’t care, his mind focused on Prince Jinxi, eagerly anticipating this moment…

Prince Jinxi didn’t look well today.

Pale-faced.

Slight dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept well.

His golden hair had lost its usual luster, giving him a particularly haggard look.

Today, he did not wear the half-body bright silver armor, but instead donned the unique deep purple court battle attire of the Great Luo Dynasty, adorned with golden patterns.

The battle attire consisted of a one-piece suit.

It fit tightly against the skin.

It wrapped Prince Jinxi from head to toe, leaving no gaps.

The assistant referee thought Prince Jinxi wanted to fight in his royal family’s distinctive attire to display the royal style, but only Li Ao knew that Prince Jinxi, who had not fully recovered from previous damages, relied more on this specially modified suit to ensure his chances of winning the championship.

Without this specially made attire for protection, Prince Jinxi might not be able to defeat opponents of the same level, even if Li Ao let him win.

For example, Tie Zheng and Cang Yue.

Moreover.

The powerful combat powers of Raging Wind and Savage Wilderness that had been tested previously would also be difficult to overcome.

As for those with truly explosive talents like Frost Cold and a few other hidden superstars, they would not step forward to compete against Prince Jinxi for first place.

They would not even actively perform in the day-after-tomorrow’s sixth challenge that would determine the rankings of newcomers, keeping a low profile throughout.

Prince Jinxi did not recognize Li Ao.

He did not pay special attention to Li Ao, this novice.

He only knew that Li Ao came from the Silver Light City, a side branch of the Iron Clan Family, with only a Black Iron level Stone Bear registered.

Challenging him with just a Black Iron level Stone Bear contracted from the Trial Grounds?

Really…

Prince Jinxi thought the kid in front of him was getting ahead of himself.

There were five people in the group match, and among the four opponents, this kid was the weakest, yet he was the only one who did not forfeit.

If that wasn’t getting ahead of oneself, what was?

His combat power had not been officially tested, but it was estimated not to exceed a hundred.

Prince Jinxi secretly chuckled.

With such little strength, he wanted to challenge him?

Alright, I’ll grant you a quick defeat to bring you back to reality!

Combat fighting is not something for small fry from a side branch to excel in; the only thing you should be doing is cheering for the elite descendants of your family’s main line!

“Iron Clan Family, Silver Light City, Li Ao.” Li Ao courteously performed a bow.

“Great Luo Dynasty, absolute ruler of the Eagle Territory, lord of the Golden Light Plains, guardian of the Winter Woods, sole heir to the Octopus Marsh and Black Wind Sea, Upper Capital royal family, thirteenth prince, Jinxi.”

Prince Jinxi told Li Ao what identity, honor, and swagger meant.

“Uh, sorry, that was too long; I didn’t catch it. Could you say it again?”

Li Ao said with an apologetic face.

Prince Jinxi’s face looked as though it had been slapped hard.

At the sound of this, Ling Long bent over laughing.

She knew it.

This mysterious young man named Li Ao would definitely not play by the rules.

The assistant referee was also a bit stunned.

How could this Li Ao dare to provoke Prince Jinxi? Did he get his head caught in a door this morning?

“Let’s start the match!” Prince Jinxi, raging inside but still maintaining good manners on the surface, returned the bow to Li Ao and then turned to the assistant referee, determined to turn this audacious Li Ao into trash, making him never forget the cost of his insolence today!

“Uh, okay, the match… starts!”

The assistant referee, as if waking from a dream, came to his senses and announced the start of the match.

Prince Jinxi’s figure was as fast as lightning.

He created three afterimages.

Attacking Li Ao from the left, center, and right simultaneously.

This is the summoner’s combat skill known as ‘Afterimage Clone,’ renowned for its fame and difficulty.

The speed is as quick as lightning, and the movement is so fast that it creates an optical illusion, making it appear as if several enemies are attacking at once.

In reality, it is just the attack speed that is so fast that it forms a unique residual image in the viewer’s field of vision.

Initially, the Afterimage Clone creates only one afterimage.

A summoner needs to possess considerable speed and skill to conjure two, three, or more afterimage clones.

Li Ao wore a stunned expression, as if he had never seen such a peculiar attack in his life.

He stood rooted to the spot, completely unresponsive.

Prince Jinxi’s true body flashed.

He kicked up a leg.

And heavily slammed it into Li Ao’s abdomen.

His thought was to first strike at the less critical parts of the body of this rookie, careful not to accidentally kill him.

Killing him would end the fun and might also affect his own chances of winning the championship…

The kick passed right through.

Li Ao’s body transformed into an afterimage and disappeared.

Prince Jinxi was slightly startled, having missed his kick—had it been dodged?

Before he could retract his leg, Li Ao’s true form suddenly reappeared. His movement mirrored Prince Jinxi’s attack, also launching a fierce kick into Prince Jinxi’s abdomen.