Those who feast on meat are often shortsighted, unable to see far.
To this day, the system of the Magic Association has gradually decayed. Most mages are inclined to remain content with the status quo, no longer possessing the ambition of a thousand years ago to carve out new territories.
Even if Lu Jun revealed to the higher-ups that the Sea-Monster Empire would invade, and suggested forging alliances to preserve the Mermaid race, they would not take it seriously. They would laugh it off, even rebuke him, accusing him of paranoia.
As for those few truly wise individuals who understood the tides of the world—even if they were in high positions, they could not rally their people against a threat that had not yet materialized, provoking an enemy as colossal as the Sea-Monster Empire.
For example, Deputy Shao Zheng had gone to every length to push for a five-thousand-kilometer coastal warning system, yet it had been incredibly difficult to achieve, and afterward, he was removed from office entirely.
Most muttered to themselves: "No matter how unlucky things get, it won't fall on our generation, right?"
Lu Jun thus no longer bothered to play the benevolent savior. Everything would be based on his own strength. However much cultivation one possessed determined how much one could take on.
By the sea, mother and daughter embraced. The Mermaid Queen's beautiful face was full of tenderness and reluctance, while the daughter's lips tightened, feigning strength.
After a long while, the Mermaid Monarch loosened her hold, turned decisively, and vanished into the vast sea without looking back.
The young Mermaid, her mood low, silently retreated into her Contract Space to sulk in isolation.
Of course, Lu Jun had to comfort her. Through a psychic transmission, he said, "Don't worry. I've placed a Faith Imprint on your mother. If she encounters danger, I'll be able to save her in time."
At present, he had three layers of trump cards, each stacked on the other: the Ancient King Armor Robe, the Liquid of Time-Space, and the Ascension State. One way or another, he could safeguard the Mermaid Queen's life.
From the Contract Space came the gentle reply of the Mermaid maiden.
Hearing this, Lu Jun decisively deployed his pua tactic: "Ah, if you want your mother not to risk herself, the root lies in your people. If you cultivate diligently and ascend to become an Emperor, wouldn't protecting your race and your mother be easy?"
The Mermaid maiden nodded firmly, beginning to meditate, absorbing the powers of the Three Lights—Sun, Moon, and Stars—to raise her cultivation.
Lu Jun nodded in satisfaction. Although with the long lifespans of demon creatures such efforts were a mere drop in the ocean, he could gather vast resources. Without a will to grow stronger, however, no amount of resources would matter.
Take Old Wolf, for instance—without firm resolve, how could he ever advance to Warrior, Commander, or Monarch?
When Lu Jun returned, the National Institute members had already steadied their moods. They set off for Mexico to obtain the National Institute badge, then made their way to the United States.
On the road, Ai Jiangtu spoke in a heavy tone: "The United States is a superpower, its magic standards extremely high. Its National Pavilion has never been defeated. No one has ever won a badge from them."
Zhao Manyan exclaimed, "Never lost once?"
Even Mo Fan frowned. In China, only he and Mu Ningxue had managed an undefeated record as Pavilion Defenders, and that had only been possible because the British team had shown mercy. Normally, obtaining a badge was at most moderately difficult compared to other nations.
In other words, most of the American Pavilion's defenders were High-level cultivators, and even their second team equaled the main teams of other great nations.
"Yes," Ai Jiangtu hesitated, "so I'm considering whether we should strategically abandon this badge. Perhaps we could gnaw our way through by force, but that would surely expose much of our strength."
Jiang Shaoxu was thoughtful, sensing some logic in his words. She then turned to Lu Jun and asked, "Captain, what do you think?"
Lu Jun's expression remained calm. Feeling everyone's gaze, he said indifferently, "If our goal is the championship, I don't think a mere Pavilion team should make us retreat. Let Mo Fan take the field—he alone is enough. After all, Mo Fan has been firing on all cylinders these days; our intelligence has likely already been leaked in full."
Mo Fan was unconcerned. "Fine by me. I'd like to test the Americans' strength anyway."
If the National Institute team could sweep through the Pavilions in dominating fashion and secure a place in the top thirty-two, the boost to morale would be immense.
At present, with the National Institute team already halfway through the journey, the China team topped the badge rankings, never once failing. This was why the people back home believed this to be the most promising team in history.
In any case, with Lu Jun as the safety net, they might as well give it their all.
Arriving in New York, the group went straight to the Temple of Liberty. From the harbor, they beheld a statue of the Goddess rising into the sky, towering at the shoreline. The sacred radiance of azure and golden light interwove across her body, inspiring boundless awe.
The artistry of the statue was beyond imagination. It felt as if an ancient Greek goddess truly stood there, gazing down with a kind, serene, and peaceful expression, blessing her people beneath the radiance of freedom!
The American National Pavilion was built right beside the Temple of Liberty. This branch of the Magic Association, among the five continental associations, reigned supreme, entirely under American control, treating both North and South America as their private backyard.
By comparison, even when Nine Continents tried to counterbalance the Dubai Magic Association, at best they used the Tribunal to undermine only a few of Dubai's subordinate associations. The gap was obvious.
When Lu Jun and the others arrived in New York, Oluna, the Temple Mage they had once briefly met, personally invited the group to enter the towering and magnificent statue of the Goddess.
Indeed, the Statue of Liberty itself was an astonishing architectural marvel. Much like Japan's Twin Guardian Pavilion, it housed countless functions within, with even the headquarters of the Liberty Temple Association residing inside.
Yet while the National Institute team went in, Lu Jun did not follow. As usual, he casually summoned the Night Thunder Dream Beast and tossed it to the team to serve as their auspicious mascot.
Immediately after, he became a hands-off overseer once more, with the same excuse as always—that he had other matters to attend to.
This time in New York, his memory was especially sharp: one of the Seven Red Cardinals, Cold Prince, would stir up chaos at the Temple of Liberty. Using the Black Vatican's Executioner Pelly as a cover to assassinate Mo Fan, he would launch a diversion and steal away the Temple's treasured artifact, the Triangular Dimensional Mirror.
This was the supreme magic tool of Dimensional Magic, possessing immense power—yet Cold Prince would use it to create catastrophe.
On the Nine Continents' steppe, he reflected the Great Pyramid of Khufu, projecting it into reality. An undead empire, led by an Emperor, would invade the Northern Plains.
Lu Jun intended to sabotage Cold Prince's plan.
First, because he despised such actions. Second, Khufu was one of the Three Underworld Monarchs, a destined nemesis along his own path—meeting prematurely would be ill-advised. Third, because of the Triangular Dimensional Mirror itself.
His cultivation had been honed to the peak of Advanced Level, and if he wished to grow stronger still, a magic tool was indeed a path forward.
Yet on his entire body, he possessed not a single proper magic tool—only the Black Serpent Armor could barely be considered worthy.
Truthfully, with his mastery across six elements, he had little use for ordinary magic tools. They were not only feeble but would also quickly fail to keep up with his growing power.
Only a treasure like the Triangular Dimensional Mirror could serve him all the way to Forbidden Curse level, much like a Totem Vessel.
But Lu Jun worried, for he was not truly the equal of Cold Prince and his followers. Even when he slew Salan, it had been through cunning use of circumstance—leveraging the Ancient Capital's Magic Association's intervention—to barely kill her.
And now? Report it to the Temple of Liberty? How could they possibly believe him? In a foreign land, as an outsider, he might only alert the enemy.
Besides, he was waiting for Cold Prince to steal the Triangular Dimensional Mirror in the first place.
All he could do was observe. Conceal his identity, strike in ambush. If his strength proved lacking, then at least plant a Faith Mark or a Time Mark—leave a beacon to locate them, and when his cultivation advanced further, return to finish the kill.
One way or another, even for his own sake, he could never allow Cold Prince to succeed in summoning Khufu.
"A bit risky… Cold Prince must have multiple Super-Level experts guarding him, and his forbidden spell trump cards are endless."
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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