Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Now I’m a Genius

The back of the "Sword Orchid School Secret Technique" Card was adorned with a dark green, crystalline pattern, while the front depicted a purple Orchid.

Its three petals spiraled inward, evoking a sense of an all-encompassing, impenetrable defensive stance.

Wang Xi flicked the surface of the Card with his finger.

CLANG!

The Universal Card actually let out a crisp clang, like the ringing of a sword.

It echoed throughout the entire Ice Crystal Hall.

Wang Xi activated it. A deep green light flickered, and the Card in his hand vanished. As he processed the new information flooding his mind, he suddenly noticed something.

’Huh?’

A hint of surprise appeared on his face.

’This Card... it seems to have a lot in common with Wendy’s "Iris Flower Swordsmanship"!’

Back in the prison in Randall, Wang Xi had used a loophole to trick the swordsmanship instructor, Wendy Barov, into admitting defeat, allowing him to capture three of her Cards.

One of those, the "Iris Flower Swordsmanship·Parry" Card, had even saved his life during the cataclysm in the Main World.

He vaguely recalled that the Card’s description mentioned Wendy meeting a traveling Sword Master in Randall in her youth. She learned a great deal from him, which led to her creating the "Iris Flower Swordsmanship."

’Could it be... that Sword Master was the founder of the Sword Orchid School? The powerhouse who carries a sword but no umbrella on a rainy night?’

Wang Xi couldn’t help but speculate.

’Not necessarily. It’s more likely he was just a senior member of the Sword Orchid School, a powerful Swordsman on the same level as Court Swordmaster Franz.’

It seemed like a stroke of serendipity.

First "Iris Flower Swordsmanship·Parry," and now "Sword Orchid School Secret Technique." With just himself and his sword, Wang Xi was now a veritable fortress.

’Alright, time for the main event,’ Wang Xi thought.

Whether or not he could survive the "Ice Heart Curse" all depended on how bad his luck was about to be.

He took a deep breath, focusing his attention on the "Warlock Card Pool" in his mind.

’I’m counting on all of you for some Magic Talent and Elemental Affinity!’

’You’re all esteemed Palace Warlocks!’

’Look sharp! Don’t embarrass yourselves!’

’Kaos, give me a big pull—’

「Consumed 1900 Energy (355 Remaining)」

His Energy reserves bottomed out in an instant.

The sphere of light before the dark rift in his mind began to spin wildly. One by one, orbs of brilliant light flared and shot out.

Twelve White Cards lined up in neat rows, like soldiers awaiting a general’s inspection—

The first to salute was "A Male Warlock’s Unwashed Red Socks," a pair of woolen socks soaked in blood and sweat, marinated to perfection.

The second to salute was "Nose Hair Removal Spell." It was unclear which Warlock it originated from, but the Card was exactly as its name suggested: a trash-tier quality-of-life Spell used for trimming nose hair.

The third was "The Inarticulate Crystal Ball," an Artifact Card. It was a crystal ball that could speak and predict the weather, but its forecasts were usually wrong. It also frequently cursed people out and had terrible breath.

The fourth was "Explosive Frog," a hybrid of a Fire Salamander and a frog that would blow up at the slightest provocation...

Wang Xi scanned the White Cards, which seemed to be screaming their Loyalty. He was so furious he started to laugh.

Haha.

’So you all want me dead, is that it?!’

His spirits finally lifted when he saw the eighth Card.

The Card’s art depicted a pair of wrinkled, aged hands cupping a handful of scattering sparks—

Fire Element Affinity!

’It finally dropped!’

Wang Xi vaguely remembered this White Card came from Warlock Master Bertrand. ’That old coot was a Fire Warlock, wasn’t he?’

’Yes!’

’That’s what I’m talking about!’

Wang Xi quickly scanned the remaining White Cards and, to his pleasant surprise, found two more Elemental Affinity cards—

Wind Element Affinity and Earth Element Affinity!

Now, together with his own "Lord of Sugar Water," he had gathered the four major elements: earth, fire, water, and wind.

Wang Xi didn’t rush to synthesize them.

He continued to inspect the six Green Cards.

Large Fireball, Feather Fall Technique, Earth Barrier, Secondary Healing Potion, Explosive Giant Frog, and Magic Affinity.

The first three were spells of the Fire, Wind, and Earth elements, conveniently covering offense, support, and defense. The potion’s healing effect was potent, but it came with the side effect of drowsiness. As for "Explosive Giant Frog," it was likely from the same Warlock who created the "Explosive Frog" from before.

And its only purpose was to explode.

It wasn’t very powerful, but it sure had a short fuse.

Plus, it was completely uncontrollable—the absolute worst of the worst.

He had no idea what kind of moron had cooked up this piece of junk.

As for the last one, Magic Affinity, Wang Xi’s eyes were glued to it. Its effect was simple: increase Magic Power absorption efficiency and expand his maximum Magic Power capacity.

And this was the very Card that would determine whether he could survive the Ice Heart Curse!

’Excellent!’

Wang Xi finally let out a sigh of relief.

With this, his survival rate, which had been practically zero, should have shot up to over sixty percent.

He then sorted the eighteen Cards, putting the trash with the trash and the gems with the gems.

Finally, he picked up Bertrand’s Deep Green Card—

「Sub-Grade Flame Demon Bloodline (Skill Card)」

「Quality: Deep Green One Star (Upgradeable)」

「The hidden power of a bloodline within a certain Warlock. It granted him unparalleled Magic Talent, making him especially prodigious with Fire Magic. Over the years, he clawed his way into the ranks of the powerful and reached the pinnacle of authority, only to be doomed by a single wrong choice.」

「Upon use, you will gain Flame Resistance, Fire Magic Enhancement, and the Devouring Flame ability. Each use continuously consumes Magic Power (or double stamina if you lack Magic Power).」

’A god-tier item!’

The thought popped into Wang Xi’s head.

He cradled the Sub-Grade Flame Demon Bloodline Card, examining it over and over, unable to put it down. Soon, another thought occurred to him, and he couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across his face.

He just so happened to have the perfect Card to pair it with—

Self-Immolation!

The effect of this Deep Blue Card, which came from the Fire Witch Lillian, was already incredibly powerful. What kind of chemical reaction would it have when paired with Sub-Grade Flame Demon Bloodline?

Wang Xi didn’t know.

But he was eager to find out.

Unfortunately, the requirements for Self-Immolation were incredibly strict, demanding a massive amount of Magic Power to sustain. If he couldn’t meet the demand, the result would be just as the Card’s name implied: literal suicide.

’There’s still Calvin’s Blue Card. Might as well pull that one too,’ Wang Xi thought, giving the command to Kaos.

「Consumed 100 Energy (255 Remaining)」

VMMM—

"As long as I reach that place... I’ll survive! No one can catch me! Wait! Why did it stop flying?! Fly, damn it, fly!"

Calvin’s terrified, trembling voice echoed.

A flash of blue light appeared before Wang Xi.

「γ Defense Onion Armor·Incomplete (Equipment Card)」

「Quality: Blue One Star (Not Upgradeable)」

「A wearable suit of armor designed by a certain Mechanical Puppet Master but later abandoned for various reasons. His student stole the blueprints and successfully forged it in a Foreign Land. The armor granted him immense power and, with it, blind confidence. That’s why he died... False strength is like the skin of an onion; peel it back, and all you find is a pale, weak core.」

「Upon use, you will obtain the head and leg pieces of the armor. As the torso piece is missing, it lacks a power system and strength enhancement, and can only be used as basic protection.」

’Fucking...’

Wang Xi stared at the blue Equipment Card in his hand, his expression like he was constipated.

’A full suit of armor can be split into pieces?’

’Why not just give it to me as individual screws and let me collect them to synthesize the whole thing?!’

’Are you the sealed Dark Grandmaster or something?’

’The arms and torso are sealed away, and I have to pay to get them back, is that it?!’

According to the Card’s description, the Onion Armor was missing its crucial torso piece, which drastically reduced its overall value.

It was like the Steel Armor without its arc reactor, or the Ultraman Transformation Device without batteries. It was like the Gundam Cockpit had been ripped out, leaving just two legs standing there—utterly useless for anything besides sheltering square-dancing grannies from the rain.

"Whatever."

Wang Xi shook his head.

He bundled up the trash Cards and tossed them into the rift in his mind to be shattered. The eleven White Cards and one Green Card yielded a total of 215 Experience Points.

「Experience Points to Assign: 1470」

Then, Wang Xi tossed the Fire Element Affinity, Wind Element Affinity, and Earth Element Affinity Cards to Kaos for synthesis.

A green light flashed.

The three White Cards fused into a Green Quality Elemental Affinity.

It was no longer limited to a single element.

But Wang Xi’s grand synthesis project wasn’t over yet.

He then took out four Green Skill Cards—Magic Affinity, Large Fireball, Feather Fall Technique, and Earth Barrier—and combined them with the newly forged Elemental Affinity for a second synthesis—

Within the rift in his mind, five clumps of green light spun rapidly through the gray mist, weaving and tangling together.

VMMM—

「All-Purpose Warlock (Skill Card)」

「Quality: Deep Green One Star (Upgradeable)」

「Whoa, this young man is practically an Enchanting Demon among Warlocks. He can flirt with any element, and Magic Power just throws itself at him. Not even a reincarnated Merlin was this talented.」

「Upon use, you will gain Magic Affinity and a connection to Magic Power, greatly increasing your Magic Power capacity and absorption efficiency. You can actively cast three spells: Fireball, Feather Fall, and Earth Wall. This Card consumes Magic Power with each use (or double stamina if you lack Magic Power).」

’Success...’

Wang Xi clutched the brand-new Deep Green Card, his face a picture of sheer joy.

He activated it without a moment’s hesitation.

A deep green light flickered and clung to the surface of his body as an invisible power surged through him.

’Alright.’

’Now I’m a genius.’

’And so...’

’Time to start the curse!’

"Your Highness, Isabella."

Wang Xi stood up, straightened his clothes, and bowed toward the ice crystal spiral staircase.

"I believe I am ready."

"..."

There was a moment of silence.

Then, the tall, regal figure descended from above once more.

Isabella suddenly stopped on the steps.

A look of utter disbelief crept onto her placid face.

「In less than half an hour.」

’The young man, who originally had zero Magic Talent, now suddenly possesses an extremely high degree of Magic Power and Elemental Affinity...’

In her eyes, the motes of magical light drifting around him had become restless, surging toward him in a frenzy and forming small vortexes.

’What on earth happened?’

Deep confusion flickered in Isabella’s eyes.

She remained silent for a few seconds.

"Since you are ready, we will begin," she said softly.

Wang Xi nodded in response.

Then, as he watched, Isabella raised her right arm and extended a slender, pale index finger—

SHINK!

A shuttle-shaped Ice Crystal shot forward like a Treasure Sword, piercing through Wang Xi’s left chest in the blink of an eye.

Instantly, he lost all feeling and control over the left side of his body. Even his breathing stopped.

A frosty mist rose from the wound.

CRACK... CRACKLE...

Wang Xi’s pupils contracted.

He watched as a brilliant azure light bloomed from where his heart was. From it, Ice Crystals spread, crawling across every inch of his body—

He was frozen into a human-shaped ice sculpture!

His consciousness began to fade.

Vaguely, he heard Isabella’s cold voice drifting from afar:

"I have triggered the curse ahead of schedule. You will fall into a deep slumber for half a year at the shortest, a year at the longest... I hope you can hold on until the day you reawaken."

"Otherwise, you will die."

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