Chapter 78: Practice

“We Card Forgers are in an assistant position, rear service. When soldiers fight on the battleground, we provide assistance.” Ah Lee told Yu Jinli about the basics of Card Forgers. “Though we Card Forgers aren’t good fighters, the energy cards we made are very important for mutants. It is fair to say that mutants depend on energy cards we made,” said Ah Lee proudly. Clearly, he took pride in what he did. “Amazing.” Yu Jinli was so surprised that his eyes widened. In his previous world, though Seal Script masters were powerful, cultivators didn’t need to depend on them. Cultivators could use Seal Script to attack or protect themselves, which was all. It didn’t occur to him that mutants depended on energy cards in combat, which show how important Card Forgers were in this world. “Of course. Not only mutants, but also their machine armors need energy cards, whose attack will be several levels up with energy cards,” continued Ah Lee. Perhaps it was rare for him to run into a beginner Card Forger, Ah Lee couldn’t stop talking and told Yu Jinli almost everything about Card Forgers. “Surely, Card Forgers are of different levels. A Grade A Card Forger like Master Kameng can be counted on one’s fingers among the whole Federation. There isn’t a Grade S Card Forger. Though there were such Card Forgers in history, nobody has been able to reach Grade S for several hundred years,” continued Ah Lee. “Grade S? Is that good?” Not clear about the grade of Card Forgers, Yu Jinli asked. “Of course. Card Forgers are from Grade F to Grade S, with S being the highest level. If our Federation has a Grade S Card Forger, we won’t need to be afraid of the Empire anymore.” There was a tinge of hatred in Ah Lee’s tone. However, soon he ended that topic and told Yu Jinli more about Card Forgers. He finally completed the task master had given him. After learning about Card Forgers, Yu Jinli went to the yard and felt the plants as Master Kameng had told him. Now, he finally understood why Master Kameng asked him to get close to the plants. Energy cards were divided into super beast cards and super plant cards, the former being offensive, the latter protective. Many super plant cards came from plants in the Federation. Card Forgers discovered useful characteristic traits of plants then painted them on energy cards with inner focus to give cards protective power of the plants. Certainly, there were original energy cards which called for the imagination of Card Forgers to give them functions. Therefore, original energy cards were difficult to make. Each original energy card would draw a lot of attention once it was produced. Besides, Card Forgers who could make original energy cards were mostly at Grade A or B since original energy cards weren’t easy to make. Yu Jinli felt the plants in the yard carefully. As a spirit beast, he was more perceptive of nature than the average. With eyes closed, he felt and listened with his heart, as if everything else had disappeared except for the plants which were whispering and playing happily. “Haha, that human is funny. Isn’t he afraid to fall when he sleeps standing?” A thin voice rose cheerfully. “I don’t know. Perhaps he likes it that way.” Another voice chimed in. “I pity humans. They are busy every day while we are at leisure with them watering us.” “I agree. I don’t understand plants that want to turn into humans. I don’t want that at all. It is a good life basking in the sun and stretching my leaves every day.” Numerous voices from flowers and herbs reached Yu Jinli. In a short while, he learned a lot about those plants through their “chat”. Opening his eyes, he saw the plants unfold in the breeze and enjoy the sun. There wasn’t a chat at all. Yet Yu Jinli felt comfortable standing here. Squatting down, he touched mimosa plant softly. He heard from the plants that mimosa plant was very shy that it would fold once touched. It had a protective nature. Next to mimosa plant, there was a pentagon herb with tiny sharp teeth around the edge. If one was careless, one might get hurt. Carefully, Yu Jinli watched the plants around him. Combined with the voices he heard just now, he had a better understanding of them. Standing next to the window of his bedroom on the second floor, Master Kameng was happy when he looked at the boy among the plants. Seldom did his students finish the tasks he gave them without a grumble. His past students couldn’t wait to learn how to make energy cards but never wanted to waste time communicating with plants. To Master Kameng, it was the height of folly, like a kid who wanted to learn how to run without being able to walk first. Now he finally had an obedient student. It was a pity that this student only had an inner focus level of Grade D. No matter how hard he worked, he could make energy cards no better than Grade C. Yu Jinli spent all afternoon watching plants. When he finished this task, it was almost sunset and soon mom would come to pick him up. “Come here.” Master Kameng waved at Yu Jinli. Hurriedly, Yu Jinli walked to Master Kameng who passed him a book. “Finish this book after you are home,” said Master Kameng without any expression. Then he went back upstairs. Yu Jinli looked at the book with surprise. However, before he could read it, mom came to take him home. “Little chestnut.” Qiao Mulan and Jiang Mosheng followed a servant inside and saw Yu Jinli hold a book happily, which made them smile. “Mom, Ah Sheng.” Yu Jinli ran over smilingly. “How’s your day here?” asked Qiao Mulan gently as she stroked him on the head. “It’s good. Master Kameng is nice. He has given me this book,” replied Yu Jinli with a smile. Though Master Kameng didn’t teach him anything, he had learned a lot which made him happy. “Really? Sounds great.” Looking at the book Yu Jinli had in his hands, both Qiao Mulan and Jiang Mosheng were surprised. Collection of First-grade Super Plants was written by Master Kameng. It was also a required textbook of first graders at Card Forger School of the First Military Academy and wasn’t for sale. The two felt proud of Yu Jinli that he had had a gift from Master Kameng on his first day. “Okay.” Yu Jinli held the book as if it was a treasure and couldn’t wait to read it on his way home. Collection of First-grade Super Plants was about plants that could appear on Grade F energy cards, including their shape, characteristic and power. It was very useful to Card Forgers. Thirsty for knowledge, Yu Jinli wished he could memorize the book at once. It was easy for a spirit beast to remember after one reading so Yu Jinli had memorized half of it on his way home. Sitting next to Yu Jinli, Jiang Mosheng saw all that - Yu Jinli’s excitement, surprise, and love for the book, which softened him. “Mom, stop by the store. I want some empty energy cards.” Jiang Mosheng told Qiao Mulan, who was driving. “No problem,” answered Qiao Mulan at once. When they were home, Yu Jinli had not only a Collection of First-grade Super Plants but also many Grade F empty energy cards and an energy board for practice. The energy board was also empty. Besides, it didn’t contain any energy inside so it was suitable for practice and wouldn’t cause any explosions. When drawing on an energy card, it must be done in one go. A tiny mistake would break the card, which might cause explosions if serious. Therefore, Card Forgers usually practice with an energy board before drawing on energy cards. So fond of his new toys, Yu Jinli wanted to have a go at once. He didn’t want to cook dinner or do live-stream anymore and just wanted to study energy cards. In the end, he had dinner under Jiang Mosheng’s supervision before he was allowed to practice. Yu Jinli first found a heart-shaped herb - a super plant with a simple shape to practice with. It was a super plant that helped settle the nerves and could calm down Grade F super beasts. Memorizing the lines, Yu Jinli took the empty energy board and extended his spirit consciousness to it. Surprisingly, it was similar to the energy card he got previously, with a space inside where the drawing would be. Excited, Yu Jinli’s spirit consciousness quivered. He calmed down and started to draw a 3D heart-shaped herb according to the book. Yu Jinli was a spirit beast who had lived a thousand years. He had good control over spirit consciousness. But it was his first time drawing with spirit consciousness. Therefore, it wasn’t easy at his first attempt. Fortunately, an energy board wasn’t an energy card, which meant he could start over even if he failed. Half way through the drawing, the line broke because he exerted too much force. His first attempt ended in failure. But he wasn’t discouraged. Cleaning all the traces of his first drawing, he started again. With the experience of his first attempt, his second try was smoother.