After retrieving the Baxia Vessel from the back mountain of Yanming Temple, Zhou Haoyu and Zhao Manyan immediately returned to the inn.
At this time, Ai Jiangtu and the others had already gathered in the lobby.
The moment they saw the two arrive, they quickly went up to greet them.
"Captain, where did you two go?" Ai Jiangtu asked.
Zhou Haoyu and Zhao Manyan had set off at eight in the morning. Both of them had Wing Magic Tools, so the round trip hadn't taken even an hour.
"Just went to take care of something," Zhou Haoyu said vaguely.
Ai Jiangtu didn't press further. After all, it was someone else's private matter, and it hadn't delayed their schedule.
At this moment, Mo Fan leaned over to Zhao Manyan.
"Old Zhao, you didn't take Captain to some shady place, did you?"
As soon as he said that, Mu Ningxue, Mu Nujiao, Jiang Shaoxu and the others all turned their gazes toward Zhou Haoyu.
Zhao Manyan slapped Mo Fan's hand away with a speechless look.
"It's one thing to doubt my character, but to even question Brother Yu's character? Besides, we were only out for a few dozen minutes—what could we possibly have done?"
"That's true. With your tastes, if you were going somewhere, it'd at least be to a high-end place in a big city." Mo Fan said with a straight face.
Zhao Manyan's face immediately darkened. This guy really had to blurt out the harsh truth.
Zhou Haoyu coughed lightly and addressed everyone, "The train tickets to Osaka are already bought. Pack up and get ready for the station."
"To Osaka? Aren't we going directly to Tokyo?" Mo Fan asked, confused.
"Before Tokyo, we need to challenge in Osaka. Only by earning enough National Pavilion Badges do we qualify to go to Venice." Zhou Haoyu explained simply.
Except for Mo Fan, everyone else was already familiar with this basic information.
"Challenge the Pavilion? That's my specialty."
The moment he heard there would be dueling, Mo Fan lit up with excitement. Compared to boring magical theory, Mo Fan preferred real combat.
"Pfft, you're just a substitute. Where would it ever be your turn to go up?"
Zu Jiming sneered with open disdain and mockery in his eyes.
He didn't dare provoke Zhou Haoyu, so he vented all his resentment on Mo Fan.
"Forgot the last lesson already?" Mo Fan immediately shot back.
Zu Jiming clenched his fists, his face grim.
"Try me again if you dare."
If it came down to close combat, was he really supposed to lose to this guy with all his muscles?
The group took the train all the way to Osaka. After disembarking, Jiang Shaoxu led the girls off to enjoy local food.
Only Mu Nujiao didn't go. Compared to fine dining, she was far more interested in the Pavilion challenge.
Zhou Haoyu wasted no time and brought a few others straight to the gates of Nishimorigaku.
Two samurai-robed mages stood at the entrance, their eyes turning sharp the moment they spotted the foreign intruders.
Just then, a young woman in a kimono carrying a flowered parasol walked over.
The long kimono covered almost all of her skin, only revealing fair hands from the sleeves. From beneath the hem peeked her dainty feet in clattering wooden clogs.
"Hey, you people are from Hua Nation, aren't you?"
The kimono woman approached in small, deliberate steps. With a sudden flick, she snapped the parasol closed and thrust it heavily into the ground, pointing directly at their group with her other hand.
She spoke in International Language, so everyone understood.
[Condition Activated: Conquer Mochizuki Chihaya.]
Zhou Haoyu raised an eyebrow. Wasn't that condition a bit too indecent?
"Don't just toss out 'Hua Nation' like that. Hua Nation is the ancestor of your little island country. Is this the attitude you show your ancestor?"
Zhou Haoyu gave Mochizuki Chihaya no face at all. After all, the goal was to crush her pride.
Mochizuki Chihaya's beautiful eyes widened in fury, her chest heaving as she trembled with anger.
"Say that again if you dare!" Mochizuki Chihaya enunciated each word coldly.
"Alright then, obedient granddaughter." Zhou Haoyu immediately fulfilled her request.
Ai Jiangtu rubbed his forehead helplessly. This was still the territory of the Double-Guard Pavilion, yet the Captain showed no restraint at all.
Mochizuki Chihaya clenched her fists, the veins bulging visibly under her milky-white skin.
The next moment, she gathered up her loose black hair, exposing a neck as white as a swan's.
At the same time, strange vines began spreading across the marble floor.
In mere seconds, the vines multiplied rapidly, covering the entire ground.
"These plants? In front of me, they're nothing worth mentioning!"
Zhou Haoyu snapped his fingers. Dense, almost illusory white flames appeared out of thin air, instantly engulfing all the vines.
Within a single breath, the vines completely vanished, as though they had never appeared at all.
This flame was none other than the Void White Flame.
After the Calamity of the Ancient Capital, Zhou Haoyu had focused on his Fire Element. With the assistance of the Holy Spring, he had finally cultivated Fire to the Advanced Level!
Once Fire reached Advanced, he immediately absorbed the Soul Seed: Void White Flame.
Now, Zhou Haoyu's Space Element had reached Advanced Level 2, while his Lightning, Fire, and Summoning Elements were all at Advanced Level 1.
His Psychic Element was still at Intermediate Level 3, but it wasn't far from breaking into Advanced.
"Fire Element! And it's Advanced!!"
Ai Jiangtu and the others were dumbstruck. What shocked them wasn't Zhou Haoyu's strength, but the fact that he actually had the Fire Element as well.
Mo Fan was equally stunned. Did this mean he could awaken two Elements every time too?
"A Soul Seed… just who exactly are you?"
Seeing such powerful flames, Mochizuki Chihaya immediately abandoned her earlier disdain.
"Chihaya, you really need to fix that temper of yours."
A rugged, bearded old man strode over, scolding Mochizuki Chihaya harshly.
After reprimanding her, the old man turned to Zhou Haoyu.
"You must be members of the Hua Nation National Team?"
[Condition Activated: Obtain the title of Hunter King.]
Since Mochizuki Meiken was the Third Generation Hunter King, this activation condition was indeed reasonable.
"I am the Captain of the Hua Nation National Team—Zhou Haoyu!"
"Captain?"
Mochizuki Chihaya was taken aback, but upon recalling that this man already possessed a Soul Seed, it wasn't unreasonable for him to hold such a position.
"Young friend, Chihaya was rather rude just now. Please don't take it to heart."
Mochizuki Meiken could sense the extraordinariness of this young man, far beyond any youth he had encountered before.
"Hardly rude enough to matter. But if you had come a little later, I might have already finished teaching her a lesson." Zhou Haoyu replied calmly.
Mochizuki Chihaya nearly exploded with rage, wishing she could immediately clash head-on with Zhou Haoyu.
The corner of Mochizuki Meiken's mouth twitched slightly. Why was this young man not following the usual decorum? Were all the current Captains of Hua Nation's National Team this arrogant?
Just then, a blond youth stepped forward.
"How dare you show such disrespect toward Lady Chihaya. You people from Hua Nation are truly arrogant and unreasonable."
....
For Advance Chapters
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