The crowd gathering to watch the spectacle grew larger and larger.
The people of Liyue were familiar with the concept of seeking immortality and enlightenment—what one might call "cultivation."
They also knew a thing or two about special physiques.
Take Chongyun's Pure Yang Physique, for example.
But in the eyes of ordinary folk, Chongyun's Pure Yang Physique had no flashy effects!
On a daily basis, all they saw was Chongyun constantly eating ice-based foods to suppress his physique, avoiding spicy or overly hot dishes.
In contrast, Diluc's Five Spirit Thunderlight Physique left the people of Liyue utterly awestruck.
Holy smokes!
His entire body was wreathed in thunderous visual effects!
Who wouldn't be envious after seeing that?
The imaginative citizens of Liyue could already picture Diluc ascending to become an immortal in the future!
With that control over lightning, if he were to wield a three-foot sword—good heavens, he'd be a full-fledged Thunder Sword Immortal!
But was such a thing possible?
Lu Heng believed it was.
The immortals of Liyue were different from what he understood as "immortals."
However, many of the abilities possessed by Liyue's adepti bore similarities to those of cultivators.
One could say that while one practiced spiritual energy, the other wielded elemental energy.
Take Mountain Shaper, for example—he was proficient in formations.
Formations were like mathematics: once you grasped the formulas, you could gradually master them, as many of the underlying principles were fundamentally the same.
For instance, a single problem could have two different solutions—it was just a matter of approach.
And the ceiling for each approach varied.
If Diluc were to learn the knowledge of Liyue's adepti, he could very well become what the people considered an immortal!
After all, he already possessed a Vision—why couldn't he learn?
Another 30,000 draws passed.
No five-star gold cards appeared, though quite a few four-star purple cards did.
At the 190,000th draw, a golden light erupted the moment the button was pressed.
A gold card landed on the counter.
Diluc's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
What kind of card would this be?
By now, he had a fairly deep understanding of the cards.
At the very least, he could recognize their types and uses at a glance.
Lu Heng flipped the gold card over.
Everyone's gaze fell on the card's illustration.
The image depicted a figure mid-leap, leaving behind an afterimage as they dashed forward.
After Lu Heng appraised it, the figure remained shadowed, but the background turned gold.
[Flash]
[Rank]: Five-Star Gold
[Type]: [Skill Card]
[Trait]: [Super Armor]
[Description]: Instantly teleport to a designated location within a 100-kilometer range.
The name and description were simple.
But judging by the effect alone, it didn't seem all that powerful?
"Is this really a five-star skill card?" Childe scratched his head.
"Why wouldn't it be?"
Lu Heng remained unperturbed as he explained, "Think about it—this is a god-tier skill for both engaging and disengaging from battle!"
When you're outmatched or need to evade an attack, just Flash away. What can your opponent do about it?
This was clearly the famous game skill, carrying over some of its conceptual mechanics.
In other words—
"For example, right now, Diluc is charging an attack, but his target is dozens of kilometers away, completely unaware of his preparations."
"Then, as long as Diluc knows the target's exact location, he can Flash in, unleash a burst of damage—can the enemy even react in time?"
Put that way, the skill sounded downright broken!
"A divine skill!"
Without a doubt, it was a divine skill.
The only limitation was the teleportation range, but did that really matter?
The effect was insane!
And it even had Super Armor!
Even if the opponent's attack lands too quickly, you can still Flash out.
There's a famous saying: "Flash into a coffin."
But as long as you're not dead, isn't it still a successful retreat from battle?
No one knows where you Flashed to. Once you conceal your aura and hide somewhere, you've effectively survived.
"Incredible!"
Diluc's eyes lit up.
This was the first time since he started drawing cards that he showed such obvious excitement.
He immediately grasped how to use it.
Next time he locates a Fatui stronghold—charge up, Flash in, and annihilate the base before the Fatui even realize what's happening!
An instant thunderbolt, delivered right to your face via Flash!
Unless you have a passive defense card, who could withstand such a sudden assault?
Diluc continued drawing.
At the 240,000th draw, another gold card appeared.
[Longevity Pill]
[Rank]: Five-Star Gold
[Type]: [Item Card]
[Trait]: [Life Extension]
[Description]: "With this treasured pill in your belly, gain another 3,000 years of carefree life!"
"This one's easy to understand."
"Swallow it, and even an ordinary person can live another 3,000 years!"
Instantly, the crowd's eyes turned red with envy.
What did 3,000 years mean?
It meant longevity!
Even if life still had an end, who would complain about living for 3,000 years?
Adepti could do it effortlessly because they were inherently long-lived.
Humans were not!
A century was a lifetime—eventually, everyone returned to the earth.
But now, this was a clear-cut opportunity for immortality!
Equipment and artifacts could extend lifespan, as everyone knew, but the increase was minimal.
If a short-lived species truly wanted to live as long as the immortals, they'd need to upgrade their gear. But what if the gear's enhancements were too meager?
That's where cards came in.
Many cards had similar effects.
One card might add a little, another might add a bit more.
And some talent-type cards outright granted an innate longevity trait!
Now, suppose someone reached the end of their lifespan but couldn't upgrade their gear further or obtain better cards—what then?
At that point, if a Longevity Pill appeared, it would mean another 3,000 years!
Three thousand years!
Even someone like Ganyu could save up plenty of Mora from working to draw more cards. Would they still fear death after that?
"This thing is insane," Childe muttered, his voice thick with envy.
He thought of his own [Breakthrough Pill].
Why couldn't it have been a Longevity Pill instead?!
Three thousand years!
Though Childe now possessed the combat power of a mid-tier Archon, his life essence hadn't fundamentally changed.
Factoring in all his cards and equipment, he'd calculated that, barring illness, disaster, or violent death, he had about 800 years left.
Eight hundred years—not too long, not too short.
But for a five-star combatant, 800 years was still too brief.
His lifespan didn't match his strength!
The only solution was to draw more cards.
See if he could get something like a Longevity Pill.
Even if it wasn't five-star, a four-star version would do—just with reduced effects.
In short, as long as you had money and weren't cursed with abysmal luck, getting such items wasn't hard!
Diluc tore open the five-star gold card.
A pill materialized in his hand.
It looked like a white Malteser, devoid of any medicinal aroma.
Without hesitation, Diluc swallowed it.
The pill melted instantly upon touching his tongue, leaving only a faint medicinal taste before vanishing entirely.
At the very least, Diluc didn't feel his lifespan increasing.
Then again, he was still young—far from his life's end. How could he perceive his own mortality?
But he was certain the pill had taken effect.
The simplest way to confirm it was to check his status panel!
Ignoring the crowd's envious stares, Diluc resumed drawing.
Lu Heng, meanwhile, fell into thought.
For such an extravagantly wealthy client, should he introduce a 100,000-draw option?
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T/N:
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