My Card Girl's Infinite Evolution

"Can you stay with me here forever?"

Dongfang Muqing, having cried all night, rested her head on Luo Sheng's lap, asking in a melancholy tone.

Her blue-green hair cascaded around her, silky and soft. The delicate braids on her head, adorned with crimson tassels, were like ornaments enhancing the elegant waterfall of her hair.

Her snow-white skin glowed under the light, and a few strands of hair rested on her flushed cheeks. She looked fragile, like flowing water.

Luo Sheng gently stroked her small braids, speaking in a helpless tone, "I wish I could always be with you, but I must leave every once in a while—just like the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, who can only meet after a long time apart."

Dongfang Muqing's ears twitched slightly, revealing how comfortable she felt. Curious, she asked, "Cowherd and Weaver Girl?"

"It's an ancient story," Luo Sheng replied.

"I want to hear it!"

As Luo Sheng continued to play with her hair, he began narrating the tale:

"Long ago, a celestial maiden descended to the mortal world without permission. She fell in love with a mortal man, and they married and lived a happy life where the man farmed, and the woman wove. But their love story was discovered by the Jade Emperor, ruler of the heavens.

Furious, he forbade the celestial maiden from returning to the mortal realm, separating the couple. Their love, however, moved the magpies, and so, once every year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the magpies formed a bridge so the couple could reunite."

Dongfang Muqing frowned and sat upright.

"That's not right! The Jade Emperor is too cruel! How could he separate them?"

She puffed her cheeks in indignation, her small fists clenched in protest.

Luo Sheng shrugged. "He was merely enforcing the heavenly laws. Celestials and mortals are forbidden to love each other."

"Then I'll defy those heavenly laws and overthrow the Jade Emperor!" she declared, her voice brimming with righteous determination, though it was as sweet as a child's.

"I hope you can break those rules someday. But for now, you can't stop me from leaving when the time comes," Luo Sheng said, leaning slightly and speaking in a tone full of resignation.

"I'll train hard! One day, I'll make sure we can stay together until the end of the world!" Dongfang Muqing exclaimed, her small tiger teeth showing as she spoke with spirited determination, nearly thumping her flat chest in emphasis.

"But..." she hesitated, "you must swear by the heavenly laws that you won't mess around while you're gone!"

Luo Sheng immediately adopted a serious demeanor.

With utmost sincerity, he raised his hand and solemnly swore, "I swear by the heavenly laws that in this world, you will always be my one and only. Until the seas dry up and the rocks crumble, I will never go back on my word!"

Of course, Luo Sheng thought to himself, this vow didn't apply to the world he came from.

Back there, he'd eat, drink, and enjoy life as usual.

Dongfang Muqing, touched by his seriousness, felt her heart flutter. Luo Sheng swearing so readily was something that many dao companions hesitated to do.

In the past, many cultivators who pursued her had wavered for ages before uttering a single vow under heavenly law.

What a bunch of fakes!

Dongfang Muqing also swore under heavenly law. Two beams of light descended, and the vows were sealed.

Luo Sheng guessed that when he returned to the card world, he might receive a one-time-use [Heavenly Oath] card.

"You must wait for me. I'll become stronger and find an elixir of immortality for you!" Dongfang Muqing declared firmly, her bright eyes radiating resolve.

Over the following days, she devoted herself to rigorous training, pouring all her energy into mastering the Azure Luan Zither Demonic Titan Technique.

However, she hit a roadblock at the first stage.

As a member of the Azure Luan Clan, Muqing wasn't considered a genius. While her zither skills were exceptional, she lacked talent in cultivation, making her an oddity among her kin.

Left with no choice, Luo Sheng stepped in. It took him about ten days to learn the Azure Luan Script, which allowed him to analyze the Zither Demonic Titan Technique. After roughly a month, he managed to decode the first level.

This gave her enough material to practice for a while.

Luo Sheng discovered that his mental energy could decipher all cultivation techniques in the card world.

He also noted that the power system of this world revolved around spiritual energy—gathering it into the dantian, then cultivating various techniques to ascend as a cultivator.

This system differed from Bai Moxue's world, which measured power in terms of years of cultivation, akin to counting the rings of a tree, making it a realm of spirits, gods, and demons.

Unfortunately, as an outsider to this card-based world, Luo Sheng couldn't cultivate using its system.

Everyday Life

Dongfang Muqing's relationship with Luo Sheng remained somewhere between friendship and romance.

They would hold hands and share small moments, but she resisted taking their bond further.

As a member of the long-lived Azure Luan Clan, Muqing could live for a thousand years or more. Relationships in her clan required centuries of bonding and adaptation.

Muqing herself had spent over three hundred years perfecting her human form while wandering the world with her grandfather. In many ways, she was still quite young.

Time flew by.

A month later, Luo Sheng had no choice but to leave.

"I have to go now. Take good care of yourself, and if you're ever in danger, run away immediately. Don't worry—I'll find you when you need me the most," Luo Sheng assured her.

"Promise me you won't lose me! Otherwise…" She pouted, her voice playful. "I'll never play the zither for you again!"

Though she tried to appear annoyed, her reluctance to part was clear as she watched him disappear into the horizon.

Back in the card master's world, Luo Sheng monitored the evolution of Dongfang Muqing's card world.

After he left, Muqing resolved to become self-reliant, dedicating herself to closed-door cultivation.

Two months later, she achieved a breakthrough.

Using her zither music, she could now control a puppet for combat—a basic but effective self-defense technique.

Her harp-like konghou, refined by the Tears of the Celestial Maiden, produced enchanting melodies. A single note could captivate all living beings.

Soon, her music resonated daily through the streets of Yuquan Town. Initially enjoyed by the townsfolk, it gradually drew attention from far and wide.

Scholars remarked, "This melody belongs to the heavens—mortal ears are unworthy of hearing it."

Her fame spread across the region.

But fame invited trouble. The Nangong Clan, having pieced together information about her location, dispatched men to capture her.

This time, however, Dongfang Muqing wasn't the same naive girl from before.

Using her zither music to command her puppet, she fought a grueling battle lasting a day and a night, emerging victorious—albeit barely.

This victory proved her growing strength.

Yet, the Nangong Clan wasn't deterred. They continued sending stronger forces, including a silver-ranked elder.

Dongfang Muqing, unwilling to endanger the home she had shared with Luo Sheng, made the painful decision to leave Yuquan Town.

Her heart heavy, tears streaked her face as she resolved to rise to the pinnacle of the world, ensuring she'd never again have to flee or live in fear.

She ventured into the deep forest, leaving behind secret markings so that Luo Sheng could find her.

"This girl… She can't even take care of herself," Luo Sheng muttered with a bittersweet smile, feeling both pride and sorrow.

"If only I were strong enough, she wouldn't have to endure all this suffering."

Driven by determination, he turned his focus toward the Black Tiger Gang, but he knew the mighty Nangong Clan was still beyond his reach for now.

"I'll grow stronger too. Wait for me. I'll eliminate all those who stand in our way!" Luo Sheng vowed, clenching his fists.

The final image of Dongfang Muqing's world lingered in his mind:

By a serene lake deep within the forest, she sat playing her zither, the music resonating with both sorrow and hope.

(End of chapter)