On the battlefield in the outskirts of the City.
Lu Jun suddenly opened his eyes, his entire body exuding a dense dark aura, strange black sacrificial markings spreading across him, making him look like a demon lord from hell, chilling to the bone.
The members of the Huaxia National Institute team, upon seeing this, all stepped forward to offer congratulations.
Guan Yu said enviously: "Captain Lu, you must have cultivated to High-Tier Level Three, right."
"More or less." Lu Jun brushed it off casually, then turned his gaze to the Night Thunder Dream Beast beside him, inwardly delighted: "This time it should be breaking through to Greater Commander, right? Reaching Commander peak so quickly, really saves me worry."
At the same time, he began examining his own cultivation—Curse Element at High-Tier Level Three, his Summoned Beast at Greater Commander. This trip to Egypt had truly yielded great harvests.
He should be the first among this year's World College Tournament to reach full High-level mastery, surpassing Zhe Luo. That guy's Wind Element likely hadn't even reached High-Tier Level Three yet.
Woo woo woo!
Before long, the Night Thunder Dream Beast's entire body surged with a dense dark aura, suddenly releasing a billowing black mist that instantly engulfed a hundred-zhang radius. The heavens and earth turned pitch black, the ground melting into a swamp of shadows.
It was like a peak High-Tier Night Dominance:—Lost Black Mist!
Nearby Egyptian military mages were startled, almost thinking the Dark Sword Master had resurrected and returned.
Fortunately, the Night Thunder Dream Beast quickly restrained its aura, withdrawing the surging dark domain, and the hundred-zhang radius returned to normal.
This elegant black-and-white stag stood silently in place, without a trace of aura. If not for being able to see it, one would think it was the air itself.
Neigh~ The Night Thunder Dream Beast let out a soft cry, seemingly satisfied. In merely a year and a half of following its master, its cultivation had advanced continuously, finally reaching the peak of its species, a complete form.
Upon seeing this, the Huaxia National Institute members grew even more envious.
Lu Jun recalled the Dream Beast back into the Summoning Plane, then looked at the blood-soaked earth littered with corpses all around, sighing with emotion: "It's finally over."
"Yes." Suddenly, a gentle female voice responded not far away: "We can also return to the Parthenon Temple to make our report, preserving our influence here in Egypt."
Hearing this, Lu Jun looked over and saw Jun Yaojin's smiling face, his eyes lit up. He stepped forward to thank her: "Thank you for your blessing power. Without it, I couldn't have defeated the Dark Sword Master."
Jun Yaojin then astonishingly said: "Since that's the case, as gratitude, could you become my Guardian Knight?"
Hearing this, Lu Jun's head was full of question marks. Good heavens, he was just being polite, and she actually tried to climb up the pole?
He knew well enough, being a Parthenon Guardian Knight to European civilian mages or minor nobles might count as a bright path, revered among the populace, with high status, but for someone like him, a National Institute team member, it would only devalue him.
After all, the Guardian Knight of a temple maiden was still just a vassal.
This mixed-blood female mage said bluntly: "I see you're strong, and I also lack a Guardian Knight worthy of entrustment, so I'd like to invite you to take up the position."
"Forget it." Lu Jun shook his head, countering with a smile: "I think your abilities are quite good too. My Hunter team happens to be lacking a Blessing-element healer. Why don't you come and work under me instead?"
Hearing this, who would have thought Jun Yaojin actually lowered her head to seriously ponder, nodding thoughtfully: "Makes sense. You're a strong person worthy of following. How would the compensation be arranged?"
"Huh? You're serious?"
Now Lu Jun was stunned. His words had been half-serious, half in jest. On one hand, he really did want to lure away a Parthenon Temple mage—after all, Blessing and Healing magic were of great help to him—but on the other hand, he thought it impossible.
The Parthenon Temple was dismissive toward Huaxia, and those Euro-American female mages under their banner, full of matriarchal arrogance, looked down on it as a backward land, unwilling to provide aid at all.
As a result, Blessing-element mages in Nine Provinces were extremely rare, with only a few awakened among the Nanrong Family.
Jun Yaojin, smiling sweetly, said: "Yes, I'm very interested in Huaxia culture. I yearn for that ancient land, and if I get the chance, I'd like to see it."
Lu Jun said half-jokingly: "Alright then, if you can come, I'll definitely hire you with a high salary. I have some influence in the capital, and I also own a private territory. I'll cover all resources for your growth to the Super-level."
Qing Yu: F*** your mother, so it's double standards, huh.
At those words, Jun Yaojin exclaimed in surprise: "So you're an actual noble with real authority."
The two of them chatted enthusiastically, while Mo Fan, who had walked closer, curled his lips. He then looked at Xin Xia and Mu Ningxue, his heart full of delight. Hahaha, for once he didn't have to eat dog food this time.
After the war, the members of the national team rested for a few days in the city-state of Puxini. Adding to that, the day when the national team instructors distributed cultivation resources had arrived, so everyone was busy digesting their spoils of war.
While chatting with Jun Yaojin and probing into her situation, Lu Jun discovered that she was indeed four or five years older than himself. Her cultivation was full completion at the High-level in three elements. Though her speed was not as fast as his, she could still be considered a genius.
Unfortunately, she was stuck at the bottleneck of the Super-level. Without resources or opportunities, her family could not provide support, and the Parthenon Temple did not value her, so she had been unable to break through into the Super-level. Only then did she start thinking about changing allegiance.
But the Parthenon Temple was not an organization one could just join or leave at will.
Although the two of them had the intention to cooperate, there were no objective conditions.
However, Lu Jun was in no rush. Once Xin Xia became a Saintess, with his relationship to Mo Fan, having Xin Xia transfer a probationary attendant to Ancient Capital, wouldn't that be like holding it firmly in his grasp?
But now that Salan was already dead, where would the turbulence of the Parthenon Temple lead in the near future?
Lu Jun shook his head, took down Jun Yaojin's contact information, and kindly reminded her that if she encountered trouble, she could come find him.
In the blink of an eye, several days passed. The national team of Huaxia set out, heading toward Venice, the location of the World College Tournament.
Lu Jun bid farewell to Jun Yaojin, while Mo Fan was also reluctant to part with Xin Xia.
After several hours of flight, they arrived at Venice, this city built upon water. All around were medieval bell towers, churches, and painted buildings, instantly immersing people in the history of Europe, as though they had traveled through time.
The water channels spread in all directions, crisscrossing the city. The streets were not separated by roads, but instead by flowing rivers, giving off a dreamlike and poetic beauty, filled with a quiet aura of peaceful years.
It was said that because of this special environment, more than half of Venice's residents awakened to Water Element magic.
Indeed, this was official data! This city was a cradle of countless talented Water Element mages.
Standing within this environment, Lu Jun felt the abundant water elements flowing from all directions. Within his spiritual world, his dark Water Element star river became active, and his cultivation speed increased by several folds.
Seeing this, he revealed a look of joy. If he secluded himself here for three months, with the White Tiger Pendant's support, he had a way to raise his Water Element to High-Tier Level Three.
That way, when the Venice Tournament began, he would have two elements at full completion of the High-level.
He suspected that deep within Venice, there must be some kind of Water Element treasure, or perhaps an ancient relic, which had created such a unique place—a cultivation paradise for Water Element mages.
As soon as they entered Venice, the national team members dispersed, each with their own matters to attend to, striving to raise their cultivation as much as possible before the start of the World College Tournament.
Lu Jun did the same. He directly rented a meditation chamber for secluded cultivation.
For additional chapters
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