Once, in Mondstadt, there was a young, talented, and passionate cavalry captain with a bright and cheerful personality.
But a person's life can sometimes be changed in an instant.
After freeing his father from suffering with his own hands, the boy seemed to fade away along with his father's passing.
That moment became the turning point in Diluc's life.
He gradually became silent and withdrawn, unwilling to speak of the past.
Now, facing Venti's words, he remained indifferent.
He simply picked up a few pieces of equipment and several mobile phones in silence.
After completing the binding process, he placed all the Mora he had brought onto the counter, watching as it was swallowed up.
Diluc's account now displayed a staggering 500,000 draws.
For a moment, everyone at the other counters paused their draws.
500,000 draws!
An unimaginably huge number.
Everyone wanted to see if this 500,000 draws would create some kind of miracle—how many 5-star gold cards would appear, how many lives would be changed.
"Can I start now?" Diluc asked.
"Of course."
Lu Heng nodded, gesturing for him to proceed, then added, "Fourth-tier purple cards and fifth-tier gold cards should be handed to me for appraisal."
"Understood."
Diluc nodded.
He began with a 10,000-draw batch!
Purple light surged, but Diluc's heart remained unmoved.
If power were so easily obtained, it would be something to be wary of.
Diluc believed that everything came with a price—it was just that this price might not be immediately apparent.
Obtaining cards from the card shop also required payment.
But this price was negligible, so small it was almost unbelievable.
As he pondered, Diluc continued drawing.
His strength was formidable, but measured by card tiers, it was only barely touching the fourth tier.
This level of power made him a standout in any nation.
It wasn't for nothing—Diluc's talent was exceptional. Even as a youth, he had been the Cavalry Captain of the Knights of Favonius, a testament to his combat prowess.
Without even wielding a Vision, he had repeatedly cleared out Fatui strongholds, proof of his strength.
For him, fourth-tier cards could enhance his abilities, but his goal was clearly fifth-tier gold cards!
As for cards below fifth-tier, Dawn Winery had many capable people.
Head Maid Adelinde was loyal to him and had managed the winery flawlessly during his three-year absence.
Since they were his people, there was no need to be stingy.
Improving the strength of Adelinde and others would ensure the winery's safety even when he wasn't around.
On the 40,000th draw.
Golden light appeared.
Diluc didn't dwell on whether his luck was good or bad—he only wanted to know the card's specific effects.
Lu Heng flipped over the face-down card.
The black-and-white card depicted an open book.
Within the book was a drawing of a human figure, as if revealing some kind of secret.
After Lu Heng's appraisal, the book gained color and seemed to flutter slightly, with golden upward arrows floating in and out of view.
But no further mysteries could be discerned.
[Mountain Momentum Seal Technique]
[Tier]: 5-star gold
[Type]: [Skill Card]
[Traits]: [Amplification] [Momentum]
[Description]: The divine mountain towers above the heavens, its might crushing all beneath it.
Diluc didn't understand, so he waited for Lu Heng's explanation.
"This is a powerful amplification skill from the concept of immortal cultivation."
"When facing a towering mountain that pierces the clouds, what do you feel?" Lu Heng asked.
"First, its majesty," Zhongli said.
Venti thought for a moment and replied, "Its overwhelming grandeur makes one feel insignificant."
Lu Heng nodded in agreement and said to Diluc, "Those who frequently engage in combat know that people possess a certain aura, especially the strong—their auras are even more intense. This Mountain Momentum Seal Technique can enhance your aura!"
"Imagine your enemy facing you as if confronting a massive mountain hurling toward them—what kind of pressure would that be?"
Diluc was slightly surprised.
"Aside from boosting your aura, it also amplifies your strength. There are no negative side effects. Within the fifth-tier range, it slightly raises your combat ceiling."
"I see."
Diluc understood now.
"How do I use it?"
"It's simple."
Lu Heng said, "Skill cards can be used directly. Knowledge cards require consideration of compatibility, but skill cards don't—they defy logic."
"Also, the energy consumed by skills doesn't come from you but from the card itself. The card's energy never depletes; there's only a cooldown period, which varies. Some are as short as one or two seconds, while others can be up to twenty-four hours."
At this point, it was worth mentioning Tartaglia's [Against All Odds].
That thing had no cooldown!
But Tartaglia's body had its limits. If he used it repeatedly in quick succession, he'd burn out entirely.
Diluc felt reassured after understanding.
He continued drawing.
On the 150,000th draw.
No matter how calm one was, getting only one gold card in 140,000 draws was hard to swallow.
But the moment the 150,000th draw was initiated, golden light erupted.
Under everyone's gaze.
The golden light was exceptionally dense, splitting into three parts as it streaked through the air!
"Three golds?!"
Everyone had thought a double gold was impressive enough, but now there was a triple gold in a single 10,000-draw batch!
But considering Diluc's previous 140,000 draws had yielded only one gold card, it made sense.
These three golds were well-deserved!
Three gold cards lay face-down on the counter.
Lu Heng flipped the first one.
The card depicted a woman.
Even after appraisal, her face remained indistinct. She wore a pure white dress, her hands clasped together in prayer.
[Life Goddess's Blessing]
[Tier]: 5-star gold
[Type]: [Skill Card]
[Traits]: [Area Healing] [Magic Circle Core]
[Description]: "That guild has no honor! We were the ones who started and defeated this boss, yet they're trying to steal the loot?!"
"Fight them! The vice leader has 'Life Goddess's Blessing'—as long as we're in its range, we'll keep healing. Crush them!"
Hmm.
Judging by the description, this card likely came from a game-like world with guilds, bosses, and gods—probably a magical RPG.
This card had some interesting implications.
"Easy to understand, right?" Lu Heng asked.
Diluc nodded.
This card was straightforward: activate the skill, and everyone within its range would receive continuous healing.
A fifth-tier card's healing effect was bound to be powerful!
However…
Diluc often fought alone, so group healing wasn't a priority.
But Diluc wasn't picky.
It wasn't like the healing would affect enemies—activating the area was fine, even if it was a bit flashy.
On the bright side, within this area, he'd heal continuously while his opponents wouldn't!
"Great for group battles," Zhongli remarked.
"Also great for solo cheese tactics," Tartaglia shrugged.
He could imagine it.
If an opponent had this skill… it'd be a nightmare!
"Can it be countered?" Diluc asked.
"Depends on the magic circle core. As long as the core isn't destroyed, it's fine," Lu Heng said.
It was simple logic.
Just protect the core.
If you couldn't even defend the core, then against such a powerful enemy, they could overwhelm you with sheer damage anyway.
So, in summary, this skill was quite strong—it just depended on how you used it.
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T/N:
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