Where does the true strength of cards lie?
Many cardholders still don't fully understand the power of their cards.
Most believe that the real strength lies in the miraculous skills they grant, instantly bestowing great power or abilities.
Lu Heng, however, has always believed that the true power of cards lies in their stackable usage and conceptual abilities.
The former is easier to understand—using an enhancement-type card to amplify the effects of another card, allowing it to surpass its original limits.
The latter, however, is the real game-changer.
Take the concept of purification, for example.
When discussing negative status effects, things like bleeding wounds, internal diseases, or even minor viral infections—anything harmful to the human body—are all classified as negative statuses, even if they pose no immediate threat or seem insignificant.
As long as something isn't part of a healthy human's normal state, it's considered negative!
But this purification concept also cleverly doesn't classify "negative but beneficial" states as negative.
It's a subtle distinction, but the principle is simple:
If it's useful to me, don't purify it!
If it's useless to me, then it must be a virus!
And Eleazar—does it have any positive effects?
Absolutely none!
It's an incurable disease caused by elemental disorder, completely untreatable by conventional medicine. There's no doubt it would be classified as a negative status—no further analysis needed!
After explaining the conceptual abilities of cards to the three of them, Lu Heng added, "If Collei wants to recover faster, you should aim for purification-related cards—preferably ones with game-like descriptions."
Tighnari and Cyno had struggled to maintain their composure while listening to Lu Heng's explanation.
Conceptual abilities!
Of course, these abilities have limits—they won't be as exaggerated as "destroying galaxies" or "creating universes." Their power is constrained by the card's rank.
But even so, they're incredibly powerful!
Even though the two had mentally prepared themselves before coming, they now realized their preparation was still far from enough.
They were completely shaken by the sheer might of the Card Shop!
"But... cards like that must be really rare, right?"
"They sound way too powerful. I doubt they'd be easy to pull..."
Collei murmured softly.
Since her Eleazar was already slowly disappearing over time, she didn't feel an urgent need for purification cards anymore.
She had lived with it for so many years. While studying under Tighnari, she had also worked hard to learn medicine, dreaming of becoming a skilled healer—partly to cure herself.
But now that the day had finally come, Collei realized she didn't need to rush.
After enduring for so long, what was another year or two?
The longer she waited, the lighter her burden would become, until Eleazar vanished completely.
So she said, "I don't really need it that much. Master Tighnari, you two should focus on your own goals when pulling. Don't worry about me!"
Tighnari chuckled and shook his head.
He knew his student well.
She probably felt guilty for causing him so much trouble over the years and didn't want to waste Mora on her own needs.
"Don't overthink it," Tighnari said. "Gacha is completely random. What we get depends purely on luck—we can't control it."
"I have a bond with cards."
Cyno crossed his arms, his expression solemn and serious.
"I believe this bond will bring good cards to me!"
Huh?
Lu Heng pondered.
Was this a card addict's confidence?
But Genius Invokation TCG had nothing to do with the cards in his shop.
Shaking his head slightly, Lu Heng spoke up:
"Since you're all here for the cards, why not start pulling now? You can chat more afterward."
The Greater Lord Rukkhadevata nodded in agreement.
She, too, wished for the people of Sumeru to grow stronger.
From what she had seen online, Fontaine was leading the charge in this new era, with Liyue close behind and Mondstadt steadily catching up.
Now that Sumeru's people had arrived at the shop, she hoped they would bring this "new era" back home and help Sumeru keep pace.
"We..."
Tighnari glanced at the long line behind them.
"No need to be polite."
Lu Heng smiled. "You may not know me, but I've known you for a while. Even though this is our first meeting, letting an old friend skip the line is no big deal."
"Huh?"
Tighnari blinked in surprise.
Then he remembered what the owner of The Steambird had mentioned about "Genshin Impact."
And how, when they were led into the shop by the robots, other Fontainians had brought it up too.
Apparently, this mysterious and powerful Mr. Lu had glimpsed Teyvat's original future and turned it into a game that was about to be released.
In that sense, they really were "old friends" meeting for the first time.
The three of them were flattered.
Lu Heng wasn't surprised by their reaction. Once they reached the counter, he said, "Alright, no more hesitation. What's your gacha budget?"
"A total of 60 million Mora!" Cyno declared.
"60 million?" Lu Heng raised an eyebrow.
Not because it was too little—but because, for the three of them, this was a huge sum!
"We scraped it together," Tighnari explained.
Now that he was more relaxed, he continued in a lighter tone: "Cyno even sold some of his treasured card backs and rare cards to gather the funds."
Cyno lowered his head slightly, his expression darkening.
As a card enthusiast, selling his prized collection must have been a painful decision.
As the General Mahamatra of Sumeru, Cyno held a high-ranking position—but he wasn't the type to embezzle. His salary was certainly substantial, but aside from Genius Invokation TCG, he had few other expenses.
Over the years, the Mora he had spent on the game was an astronomical figure.
And some of the rare card backs even appreciated in value!
With that in mind, the numbers made sense.
Collei likely didn't have much Mora, while Tighnari was financially stable enough to contribute a few million without too much trouble.
"That's quite a sum."
Lu Heng nodded. "How much do you already know about the process?"
"We've read up on the equipment and phones," Tighnari replied.
"Then I'll skip the basics."
Lu Heng motioned for them to take their Card Devices and phones.
These purchases didn't count toward the 60-million budget.
Next, Cyno pulled out a pile of scattered Mora and loaded it all in!
60 million Mora translated to 6,000 pulls!
"2,000 pulls each," Cyno stated.
Tighnari and Collei nodded.
They had already discussed this on the way.
Logically, since Cyno had contributed the most (with Tighnari and Collei only adding a few million combined), he could have just pulled his own share.
But never underestimate the friendship of Sumeru's Fantastic Four!
Cyno, Tighnari, Alhaitham, and Kaveh—their bond was strong.
Collei had also known Cyno for a long time, though their relationship was... complicated. When Cyno helped seal the Archon Residue within her, the process was excruciating, making Collei instinctively rub her neck whenever she saw him.
So their decision to split the pulls evenly wasn't surprising.
Cyno went first.
He would have preferred to savor the gacha process, but with the long line behind them, he didn't want to delay things.
First 10-pull—nothing.
Not even a purple glow. Just a complete dud.
Cyno was a formidable fighter, ranking among Sumeru's elite, but his overall strength only placed him at the lower end of 4-star tier—nowhere near veterans like Xiao.
So while 3-star cards could enhance his abilities, the improvement wouldn't be drastic—mostly just expanding his combat or utility options.
As he flipped through the cards, Cyno mused:
"The ranking system is so clear... Mr. Lu, if I customize a fancy card back, will it affect the card's performance?"
His question sparked an idea in Lu Heng's mind.
Hey!
This was just like game development—why stop at selling characters?
I should sell skins too!
Custom-made ones might look nice, but they lacked official prestige.
If the Card Shop released them, they'd be authoritative!
But after some thought, Lu Heng decided it wasn't necessary.
"It won't affect the card's effects," Lu Heng assured him. "Don't worry."
"Good."
Cyno was relieved.
He'd make some stylish card backs later—not for any practical reason, just for the aesthetic!
Second 10-pull—still nothing!
No purple glow, another complete miss.
"Tighnari, your turn."
With that, Cyno stepped aside, lost in thought.
Was his bond with cards... broken?
Had selling his precious collection angered them, making them abandon him?
To an outsider, this would sound insane.
But to a card enthusiast like Cyno, it made perfect sense.
Those rare Genius Invokation TCG cards felt alive to him!
(Collectors of figurines, sneakers, or keyboards would understand—true collectors cherish their items, whispering goodnight to them every evening.)
But times had changed, and he'd had no choice.
Silently, Cyno apologized to his cards, hoping their new owners would treasure them.
Tighnari could guess what Cyno was thinking with just a glance.
He could only hope his own luck would be better.
A 5-star card was too much to ask for, but maybe a decent 4-star?
If he got one, he'd give it to Cyno—maybe that would ease his pain.
Tighnari's first 10-pull—PURPLE GLOW!
Cyno immediately perked up.
His best friend had gotten something!
Even if he hadn't, seeing Tighnari succeed was enough to lift his spirits.
Lu Heng examined the 4-star purple card:
[Basic Spiritual Pharmacology]
[Rank]: 4-star (Purple)
[Type]: [Knowledge Card]
[Traits]: [Cultivation], [Utilization], [Medicine Crafting]
[Description]: "In the Medicine King Valley, minor exams happen every decade, major ones every century! You new disciples must master Basic Spiritual Pharmacology! How to cultivate spiritual herbs, how to utilize their properties, how to refine medicine—you must know it all! Half-baked amateurs tarnish our reputation—they will NOT be tolerated!"
Wow.
A basic pharmacology course was 4-star? The Medicine King Valley must be an impressive faction.
But was this card useful?
Before Tighnari could ask, Lu Heng explained:
"Don't get your hopes up. Teyvat doesn't have spiritual herbs, but some of the knowledge can still serve as reference material."
Different systems often don't align perfectly, but in overlapping fields, knowledge from one can inspire breakthroughs in another.
Sometimes, all it takes is a single new idea—and now, with access to another world's foundational knowledge, the possibilities expanded dramatically.
Teyvat might not have spiritual herbs, but it had regular herbs.
Even if most of the card's knowledge was unusable, the remaining fraction could still be invaluable!
"This suits you. Keep it," Cyno said firmly.
Tighnari wasn't just a botany scholar—he was also a skilled physician.
Medicine and pharmacology were intertwined, and this card's knowledge could greatly enhance his expertise.
"Alright." Tighnari nodded.
Cyno had no interest in medicine, but Tighnari did.
No need for excessive politeness between close friends.
Tighnari's second 10-pull—nothing.
He wasn't disappointed.
In terms of combat power, Tighnari's strength was situational—but some 3-star cards could still significantly boost his abilities.
For him, this trip to Fontaine was already a major success.
"Collei, your turn." Tighnari stepped aside.
"O-Okay!" Collei was nervous.
First 10-pull—GOLDEN GLOW!
"Huh?!"
Cyno was stunned.
Tighnari's eyes widened.
She pulled something?!
And not just anything—a 5-star gold card!
Neither of them felt jealous—they were genuinely happy for her.
But what would it be?
"A... gold card?!" Collei herself was shocked.
Then came excitement.
Though she seemed wary of Cyno, both he and Tighnari had always looked out for her.
She rarely had a chance to help them—usually, she was the one causing trouble.
But now, this stroke of luck felt like her chance to contribute!
"Don't get too worked up!"
"Stay calm!"
Tighnari and Cyno reacted as if facing a crisis, urgently trying to soothe her.
"I... I..."
Collei knew she needed to stay composed...
But she just couldn't!
Oh no!
With so many people around, was she about to embarrass herself again?!
"Relax."
Lu Heng's gentle voice carried an inexplicable calming power.
Collei's frantic breathing slowed, and even her heartbeat seemed to steady.
"Whew..."
She exhaled deeply, then quickly said, "Thank you so much, Mr. Lu!"
Lu Heng smiled. *"We'll discuss that later. For now, let's see this 5-star gold card?"*
"R-Right!" Collei nodded.
Lu Heng flipped the card over.
On its face was a black-and-white human visage, eyes closed.
But most striking was the thin vertical line on its forehead—like a third eye, shut tight.
Wait... is this the Erlang Shen?
Lu Heng touched the card.
Golden light burst forth as the eyes on the card—all three of them—slowly opened.
The third eye's pupil shimmered with gray, white, blue, purple, and gold—the colors representing card ranks 1 through 5!
At the same time, the card's details materialized:
[Eye of Judgment]
[Rank]: 5-star (Gold)
[Type]: [Skill Card]
[Traits]: [Discern Evil], [Judgment]
[Description]: "All sin and malice shall be laid bare!"
"Now this is something special," Lu Heng said.
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T/N:
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