"Teacher, it's been a long time."

Li Pu wasn't surprised to see Li Fan.

Actually, when he thought about it, it had been over two months since he last saw him. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

One winter break, and then a month after arriving in the capital.

Before, he would meet Li Fan almost every week, or Li Fan would come to him for card fusion.

Faced with his student's greeting, Li Fan didn't say anything, he just nodded.

Only after finishing a cigarette and extinguishing it, did he take something out.

"Here, take this."

Without waiting for Li Pu to react, Li Fan tossed the item over.

Actually, from the moment the item was revealed, Li Pu's expression had already changed.

It was... a chunk of Crystal Coins.

Li Pu had developed a new skill, where just by the radiance of Crystal Coins, he could roughly estimate the amount of money inside, with great accuracy.

Moreover, this intensity of light was one he had seen before.

At home, in his grandfather's safe.

Once the Crystal Coins were in hand, his guess was confirmed.

1 million, a whole 1 million Crystal Coins.

The regeneration funds for Bu Bu were secured.

Yet, upon reflection, Li Pu handed the Crystal Coins back.

"Teacher, don't gamble anymore."

He had a rough idea of what Li Fan had been doing during this time.

He had heard some stories about Li Fan's past activities in the capital from Xiu Zangjia.

So right now, this chunk of Crystal Coins felt somewhat heavy (tempting).

"Gambling isn't good, I can't accept this money."

But Li Pu said this painfully.

"Pah, who said I've been gambling."

"Then let go, will you."

Li Fan tried to take back the Crystal Coins but found Li Pu's grip as firm as a vice.

Li Pu: "Oh, in that case, I'm relieved."

Li Fan: "..., let's see if you have the guts to not take them."

After Li Fan's explanation, Li Pu understood where he'd been during this time.

Currently, Li Fan's card pool was far deeper than Li Pu's.

This was because the cards Li Fan brought for Li Pu to fuse were of high quality.

After accumulating for about a semester, most of Li Fan's main decks were composed of fused rare cards, their power considerable.

Yet, it had been mentioned before that fused cards have their drawbacks; they rarely create new things, merely enhance and reinforce existing cards.

In essence, card creation can make cards stronger, but cannot create something from nothing.

This led to Li Fan facing tactical gaps in his powerful decks, lacking key pieces.

Even though he had diligently collected cards during this time, those key pieces remained elusive.

The reason was simple; they all came from abroad.

So just before winter break, he took a trip overseas.

Understand that traveling abroad wasn't easy, and returning was even more challenging, thus this journey cost Li Fan a lot of effort and time.

After obtaining all the key pieces, he arrived in the capital.

Then the first thing he did was to return to Seven-Star Street to restore his reputation.

But Li Fan had learned his lessons, this time he no longer engaged in life-or-death card matches.

Instead, he used ultra-powerful decks composed of rare cards to dominate.

The formerly evenly matched rivals all fell before him.

While showing off and regaining face in several waves, the rare cards he held successfully garnered significant attention.

Usually, the frequenters of Seven-Star Street were what kind of people.

Pure card sharks.

Just like Ah Yajun, who believed S-grade cards were more valuable than S-grade skills.

Rare cards, and high-quality rare cards at that, naturally incited many to passionately pursue Li Fan.

Li Fan selected two of the less important rare A-grade cards to bid, selling them for a total of 1 million.

Precisely the chunk of Crystal Coins in Li Pu's hand.

Because he knew his student was at a stage of rapidly growing strength, desperately needing funds.

Conversely, Li Fan himself no longer had significant need for Crystal Coins.

That trip here today, he wanted to tell Li Pu that if he wanted to, he could consider getting into the card-selling business.

Li Fan had extensive connections, able to find the most suitable buyer and sell at the most lucrative, no, the most ideal price.

If Li Pu tried selling the same cards on Seven-Star Street or elsewhere, he certainly wouldn't earn as much.

Of course, Li Pu agreed wholeheartedly.

Having the teacher help sell cards saved a lot of effort.

So he directly entrusted the entire affair to the teacher.

As for how to fuse, how to sell, how much to sell, Li Pu had no plans to ask, leaving rhythm to Li Fan himself.

However, what puzzled Li Pu was that according to Li Fan, he wouldn't take a single cent from the card-selling business, the proceeds would all go to him.

He didn't think the teacher would deceive him, as there was no need, and he trusted the teacher.

But then, what did the teacher want out of all this?

What Li Pu didn't realize was, Li Fan simply enjoyed the sensation.

The feeling of stepping into Seven-Star Street and having various elites come to flatter him.

So when he sold cards, it wasn't for money but for the vanity.

Those former opponents and spectators who once sneered at his remorseful plays and sly psychological tactics at the card table, now when they saw him, their faces were all smiles of sycophancy.