Lu Jun received word from the National Institute mentors and smiled faintly.

As expected, the Black Vatican had fled toward Japan. Most likely, they were hoping to find a place beyond the Nine Provinces' reach to recuperate and regroup before making further moves.

Who would've thought he was still in Sea Battle City?

However, the mentors also instructed: do your best, but prioritizing your own safety is most important. If encountering a Super Tier mage, don't hesitate turn around and retreat.

"Even Super Tier doesn't scare me. In Ascension state, I can instantly kill newly advanced Super Tier mages."

Lu Jun thought to himself. He had already reached High Tier in five elements. His Curse and Water elements were both at High Tier Level 2. His accumulated foundation was extremely deep, and the White Tiger Ascension was vaguely approaching the level of a proper Monarch.

In fact, he had already reached the required spell mastery—his body was just a bit short of the necessary refinement.

Once all his elements reached High Tier, he would likely have the combat power of a true Monarch.

He then thought about the Black Vatican's Pontiff, Wu Ku. He wasn't sure if the man had already slipped into Japan. That turtle shell of a man might not have immense offensive strength, but his defense was truly top-class.

"But under Metal Element's offensive arts, all defenses are meaningless."

Lu Jun's fighting spirit surged. He had long coveted Wu Ku's Aqua Buddha Pearl, as well as the natural talent of a Water Calamity Bearer.

The former was attainable. As for the latter, Lu Jun wasn't sure if it could be acquired.

It was worth remembering that talents could be forcibly stripped. In the original story, there was a case where two young elders from the Mu Clan, whose talents were combined and called the "Power of Phoenix and Luan," had their talents completely drained by the Grand Elder.

Moreover, if he wanted his Water Element to someday challenge the ruling class of the Ocean Demon Empire, it had to be cultivated to the peak—established as a ceiling-level power. He hoped there would be a way to acquire Calamity Arts.

Soon, Lu Jun set off. The next morning, he returned to Little Bear City, where Yamadera was located, on Japan's western coastline.

The Black Vatican hadn't crossed the sea yet.

Taking advantage of the spare time, Lu Jun rented a hotel room and cultivated for a while. He began organizing the various soul essences absorbed by the White Tiger Pendant.

Undoubtedly, the most valuable was the Sea Fiend Commander's Soul Essence. The quality was exceptional and would probably sell for over 200 million.

The number of Servant-grade Soul Essences had increased to over a hundred, while Warrior-grade Soul Essences now numbered eight, and there were three Commander-grade Fragmented Essences.

After careful consideration, he decided to level up his Psychic and Curse Element Basic Spells to level 5.

The main reason was that upgrading High Tier Level 4 spells seemed a distant goal. He had just reached High Tier Level 2 and was still far from Level 3. Instead of waiting indefinitely, he might as well unlock level 5 Basic Spells first.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

In the room, Lu Jun carefully guided eight Warrior-grade Soul Essences and three Commander-grade Fragmented Essences into his spiritual world.

Within the black-red and translucent star galaxies, at their core, seven stars shimmered—crystal clear, radiant—soaked in nourishment, expanding inch by inch, transforming into level 5 stars!

Each one now seemed the size of a fist, shining brightly like true stars, standing out in the pitch-dark void like a moon surrounded by stars impossible to ignore.

In the next moment, Lu Jun comprehended the level 5 Basic Spells for both the Psychic and Curse elements.

He was overjoyed. These two skills turned out to be surprisingly practical. They leaned toward support and would remain useful all the way into late-stage cultivation. What's more, they complemented each other and could be cast jointly.

The level 5 Basic Curse Spell was called Blood Abyss: Mist of Dread - Soul Lock Across a Thousand Miles!

As long as he had an object tainted with the target's aura, he could channel the power of a curse through it to curse someone from afar. A dreadful ghost-faced spirit of fear would haunt the target, allowing Lu Jun to spy on them from thousands of miles away.

Hence the name Soul Lock Across a Thousand Miles.

Truth be told, Lu Jun didn't care about the damage output of level 5 Basic Spells. It was the eerie, hard-to-defend, long-range surveillance effect that made this one so deadly.

The level 5 Basic Psychic Spell was equally mysterious, called Mind Ripple: True Name Premonition.

As the name implied, if anyone spoke Lu Jun's name, he would gain a subtle premonition, instantly knowing who was mentioning him and all of their emotional fluctuations would reflect clearly in his mind.

Whether goodwill or malice, it would all be laid bare.

In other words, Lu Jun would no longer need to fear being ambushed again.

Of course, these were still just Basic Spells, and their effectiveness depended on his cultivation.

At present, they would at best go undetected by an ordinary Super Tier mage.

"Even so, it's unbelievable. If these two spells are used together, wouldn't it be like having the divine watching over your head at all times?"

Lu Jun marveled. In the future, whenever someone mentioned his name, True Name Premonition would activate passively, establishing a psychic link between them across great distances. Then he could immediately follow up with Soul Lock Across a Thousand Miles from the Curse Element to observe the scene in real time.

He would become a ghost—an observer. Just imagining the scene thrilled him.

Enemies gathering together, eagerly conspiring to assassinate him, while the target himself peered in from afar—such a ridiculous scene, it was like plotting an ambush while shouting it in front of the victim's face. It was almost laughable.

More importantly, Lu Jun faintly sensed that these two spells could potentially be combined with Astral Projection.

By following the link established by Soul Lock Across a Thousand Miles and True Name Premonition, he could descend like divine judgment the moment his name was uttered. If someone prayed to him on Earth, the "True God" would manifest with overwhelming might.

"Hiss… this is starting to smell like the Antarctic Ridge."

Lu Jun sucked in a sharp breath. This method was faintly reminiscent of the powers of the Dark King and the Antarctic Ridge.

Perhaps cultivation itself was a path leading toward deification.

Whether it be the Three Ridges, the Ten Overlords, or even Athena, the Heavenly Father, and the Red Cardinal Leng Jue, all had spoken of walking the path toward godhood.

Unfortunately, Lu Jun's current cultivation was still insufficient. He had yet to reach such a terrifying level, but with steady progress, that day would surely come.

"Recklessly projecting my soul thousands of miles away is far too dangerous. If I can't return to my body, wouldn't that mean instant death?"

At this, Lu Jun fell into deep thought. Soon, he came up with a solution. That's right—he had the Space Element! If he cultivated it to a profound level and imprinted his soul with spatial coordinates, couldn't he return to his body in an instant?

His eyes grew increasingly bright. In the future, once he became an emperor-level figure, anywhere in the cosmos, if his friends or loved ones were in danger, he could instantly sense it. His will could descend across space. If enemies harbored ill intent, he could punish them with divine retribution.

"The magic I cultivate is becoming more and more mutated… as if it's developing some kind of divinity?"

Lu Jun pondered. Perhaps this was influenced by the Ancient King's Robe and Ding Yumian's innate Disaster Affinity of the Mind Element.

Other Psychic or Curse Element mages likely had level 4 and level 5 Basic Spells that were very different from his.

"Right, Curse Element's Soul Lock Across a Thousand Miles—if I capture the aura of the Water Elemental Spirit, can't I trace its whereabouts through this?"

An idea sparked in Lu Jun's mind. He quickly pulled out the Water Elemental Crystal he kept close to his chest, quietly focused his senses, and activated the Curse Spell: Soul Lock Across a Thousand Miles.

Zzzzzz!

Moments later, faint and indistinct wisps of transparent aura began rising from the deep-blue crystal. Under the influence of Curse energy, it transformed into black-red mist, twisting in midair into the shape of a ghostly face.

In the next instant, it abruptly shot into the void and vanished on the spot.

Suddenly, Lu Jun's spiritual sense warped, his mental vision switching to another perspective, rapidly ascending.

A vast blue ocean appeared before his eyes. Alongside it stretched a sunlit beach, where many Caucasians played joyfully. Several iconic buildings stood out on the coast.

Lu Jun tried to focus more clearly, but the next moment, an angry shriek echoed through his spiritual realm, shaking his mind and forcibly severing the connection.

"That was the Water Elemental Spirit just now it actually has control over the Psychic Element too and noticed me?"

Seeing this, Lu Jun's face turned slightly pale, shocked beyond belief.

For additional chapters

Versatile mage {40 chapters}

Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}

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