Another ten-thousand-draw was initiated by Tartaglia.
Watching the single purple card that appeared on the counter, Tartaglia couldn't help but laugh.
Not getting a five-star gold card was normal—after all, the drop rate was extremely low.
But a four-star purple card? Only one in ten thousand draws?!
"If I can summon the Crimson Calamity Toad, it means my luck isn't the issue," Tartaglia pondered deeply.
Gazing at the Crimson Calamity Toad in his palm, a flash of inspiration struck him.
"You! Do the draw for me!"
Tartaglia carefully lifted the toad by its front legs.
Lu Heng was momentarily stunned.
Even the pet summoning method has been discovered now?
Bro, you might just be a genius!
He watched with a peculiar expression.
"Using your 500 years of lifespan, grant me a gold card!" Tartaglia cackled wildly.
The Crimson Calamity Toad in his hands widened its eyes.
Though small, it was a demon beast—one with ancient bloodline heritage, no less. It was intelligent!
It understood Tartaglia's words perfectly, but it was powerless to resist.
Its tiny frog hand was already pressed against the ten-thousand-draw button.
The next moment, a golden light erupted.
Not only was Tartaglia stunned, but the Crimson Calamity Toad was also frozen in shock.
Venti's jaw dropped.
Lu Heng was utterly amazed.
The golden light grew increasingly intense, splitting into two as it descended.
"Double gold?!"
Tartaglia couldn't hold back his laughter.
Despite his still-injured body, he laughed so hard that his wounds ached, forcing him to grimace in pain while grinning—an expression that looked utterly bizarre.
In Tartaglia's hand, the Crimson Calamity Toad seemed listless.
Noticing this, Venti couldn't help but ask, "Did it really use its lifespan to get you those gold cards?"
Tartaglia paused and looked at the toad.
Suddenly, he panicked.
"Don't you die on me!"
Tartaglia grew anxious—this was a young-stage魔神 (demon god)!
No matter what, it was still a gold card!
Using its lifespan to get draws… Hmm?
A thought suddenly crossed Tartaglia's mind—what if I squeezed more lifespan out of it?
The moment the idea surfaced, even Tartaglia himself was taken aback.
That's a bit too inhumane…
"Could it be… that it's just hungry?"
After observing for a while, Lu Heng concluded that the Crimson Calamity Toad was perfectly fine.
Using its lifespan to get gold cards?
That's pure nonsense!
But Tartaglia's antics were undeniably entertaining—even Lu Heng had almost believed it.
"So it was just hungry?"
Tartaglia sighed in relief but also felt a twinge of regret.
I really thought I could use its lifespan for draws…
Seeing his disappointed expression, the Crimson Calamity Toad let out a weak croak.
I may not be human, but you… aren't much better!
Venti grinned, finding Tartaglia rather amusing.
"Got any food?" Tartaglia asked Lu Heng.
"It's right here."
Lu Heng tapped the counter.
A card lay on the table, depicting a carp.
It was purely ornamental, usually kept in garden ponds. The reason it was a card was that eating it provided greater nutritional value—like a spirit fish from a cultivation world.
"Hold on, I'll feed you right away."
Tartaglia immediately tore the card, and a sizable, lively fish appeared in his hand.
He filleted it with a knife, cut the meat into fine pieces, and fed it to the Crimson Calamity Toad.
Meanwhile, Lu Heng had already appraised the two gold cards.
[Last Stand]
[Tier]: Five-star Gold
[Type]: [Skill Card]
[Traits]: [Amplification] [Negative Status]
[Description]: "There's no escape… The only way left is to fight with everything I have! I burn all of myself to fuel this moment's power—KILL!"
"This one…"
Tartaglia's face was filled with delight.
Lu Heng chuckled. "Skills like this are best used sparingly. They damage your body and leave you in a weakened state afterward. But the effect is excellent—it wrings out every last drop of your power, like a desperate, last-resort technique."
After a pause, Lu Heng advised, "You should be careful. Don't end up burning yourself out one day."
In Lu Heng's view, its function was similar to Hu Tao's skill in the game—sacrificing HP to boost attack power.
But in reality, HP wasn't so easily replenished!
Especially since this skill could drain a significant amount at once, possibly even damaging one's foundation.
If misused, it could reduce Tartaglia to an empty husk—or worse.
"I get it!"
Tartaglia wasn't afraid of death, but he still valued his life.
Despite being injured these past two days, everything had been within controllable limits.
He hadn't yet become a legend across Teyvat—how could he die now?!
His gaze shifted to the second gold card.
[Martial Clarity]
[Tier]: Five-star Gold
[Type]: [Talent Card]
[Traits]: [Growth] [Potential]
[Description]: "My martial heart is clear and bright. With the best resources, the sharpest comprehension, and the strongest techniques… I am destined to leave a dazzling name in this glorious era!"
"A talent card?"
"Martial Clarity?"
Tartaglia was thrilled. "Does this mean I'll learn martial techniques faster?"
"That's the general idea."
Lu Heng nodded. "The 'Martial' aspect enhances your combat skills, while 'Clarity' keeps your mind sharp, free from inner demons."
"Got it!"
Tartaglia clasped his hands together and immediately equipped both gold cards.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.
Tartaglia's blue eyes were usually sharp and rarely clouded.
Now, as he reopened them, his gaze burned even brighter.
His demeanor hadn't changed much, but his aura had deepened, becoming more solid.
"I can feel it—the distractions in my mind have lessened!" Tartaglia was overjoyed.
He was already a simple-minded genius—now, with fewer mental obstacles, he could advance even further.
"Again!"
Tartaglia used the Crimson Calamity Toad to draw once more.
But alas, after two ten-thousand-draws, nothing came of it.
Refusing to accept defeat, he started drawing himself.
Only after exhausting all his remaining draws did Tartaglia scratch his head and ask, "Did I use up all my luck for today?"
"Probably."
There was no definitive answer to this, and Lu Heng couldn't say for sure.
"Whatever, the gains today have already been massive."
Once he adjusted his mindset, Tartaglia was thoroughly satisfied.
Twelve hundred million Mora—not even counting the pill—had already netted him an incredible talent, an ultimate technique, and a powerful companion!
Wasn't this an absolute steal?
Not to mention the pile of purple cards!
"Upgrade! I need to upgrade immediately!"
Tartaglia eagerly began dismantling all cards below four-star.
In his eyes, anything below four-star wasn't worth keeping—raising his equipment level was far more important!
Crunch, crunch…
Piles of cards were dismantled, dissolving into pure energy that flowed into his equipment.
"Croak! Croak!"
The Crimson Calamity Toad stared at Tartaglia with longing eyes.
"Hold on, just a bit longer."
Tartaglia was quite fond of it now and comforted it while focusing on the dismantling machine.
The card's tier affected the energy gained from dismantling.
A single five-star card was worth thousands of three-star cards in experience.
But Tartaglia's equipment was bound to level up—he had drawn far too much this time.
"Upgrade!"
Tartaglia tapped the button.
The second person in the shop to possess five-star equipment was born!
"Boss Lu, how strong am I now?!" Tartaglia asked excitedly.
After explaining the five-star equipment's unique effect—[Peer Resonance]—Lu Heng asked, "With a freshly upgraded five-star equipment and twelve card slots, how will you allocate them?"
Tartaglia thought for a moment.
"Four gold cards—[Crownless], [Crimson Calamity Toad], [Last Stand], and [Martial Clarity]—plus eight purple cards!"
Lu Heng didn't bother calculating—instead, he used cyber-divination.
In an instant, he had the answer.
"In a normal comparison, most魔神 (demon gods) wouldn't be your match now."
"If the Crimson Calamity Toad also reaches five-star tier, and you go all out… you could threaten high-tier魔神."
"What if my equipment gains more experience?"
"You're the second person to ask that."
Lu Heng shrugged. "I'll give you the same answer: with maxed-out five-star equipment, you could take the Heavenly Principles' seat for yourself."
"Gasp."
Venti inhaled sharply.
He could threaten the Heavenly Principles already?!
Holy—
Did I sleep through some kind of revolution these past few centuries?!
Tartaglia trembled with excitement.
He glanced at the Crimson Calamity Toad, then at the remaining cards.
"Dismantle! Keep dismantling! It's all for you!"
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T/N:
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