Lu Jun was deep in thought. Elemental Spirits, aside from their primary elemental talent, often possessed a secondary element.

For example, after Flame Empress reached maturity, she awakened the Space Element. Similarly, the Water Elemental Spirit, according to both Eastern legends of sea maidens and Western lore of mermaids, was often associated with charming vocals and spiritual enchantments.

Perhaps the Psychic Element was the secondary element of the Water Elemental Spirit he was currently pursuing.

"It was just one image. I couldn't see it clearly. I'll have to later search for where it might have been."

Lu Jun frowned slightly. Inwardly, he sighed at his bad luck. If it didn't have the Psychic Element, his Curse Magic would probably have been able to track it down.

Fortunately, he had a lead. He could hand it over to the Zu Clan, who could utilize their vast international resources to investigate. With the Hunter Alliance's intelligence network added in, the chances of finding it would greatly increase.

Before long, Lu Jun consolidated his cultivation and turned his gaze inward, admiring the six magic systems in his spiritual world.

After all his efforts, the Water, Curse, and Psychic Elements had all reached Level 5 Basic Spells. That left only Summoning, Space, and Metal. These three should also have level 5 Basic Spells that wouldn't disappoint.

"I wonder what form Summoning's Borrowed Spell and Space's Mental Field will take as they progress further."

His eyes gleamed with anticipation. These six elements were barely described in the original story. Every step forward was like venturing into unknown territory—reaching the very limits of magic itself.

Suddenly, Lu Jun's phone rang. It had been a while since he upgraded his stars. The Judgment Court was calling to notify him—the Black Vatican was about to arrive.

"Blue Bat, huh?"

Lu Jun set out and arrived at the designated coastline, standing at the edge of the dock, enjoying the cool sea breeze.

After several hours, specks of black appeared on the horizon. As they approached, they revealed themselves to be multiple luxurious cruise ships preparing to dock.

The remnants of the Black Vatican were hiding among them.

Soon, the cruise ships arrived. Passengers began disembarking in droves. With such a crowd, it was nearly impossible to distinguish the members of the Black Vatican.

Lu Jun kept his hands in his pockets, closed his eyes, and dispersed his spiritual sense, carefully discerning emotional waves.

All the passengers passed by him without taking notice.

Level 4 Intermediate Psychic Spell: Mind Ripple – Psychic Invisibility!

Immediately, Lu Jun locked onto one Black Vatican member after another. He sneered internally. No matter how normal their appearances were, the stench of brutality and malice in their hearts gave them away.

Among the crowd was a fashionable, mature woman in sunglasses and a sun hat, pulling a suitcase. Her heart skipped a beat.

Blue Bat subtly scanned the surroundings. She noticed that, at some point, the disguised Black Vatican members had drawn near her from all directions, forming a vague formation that boxed her in, forcing her to move with the crowd.

She sensed a murderous intent in the air and scanned her surroundings sharply.

Just then, a young girl very close to her chuckled softly and said, "Sister Blue, are you looking for me?"

Salan's eighth disciple! Blue Bat's heart jolted. She instantly understood—the struggle for the position of Red Cardinal had not stopped after escaping the Nine Provinces. On the contrary, it had only intensified.

During the long chase, the Nine Great Disciples had betrayed each other. Most were already dead.

Only three remained: Blue Bat, the girl before her, and Yan Qiu from Europe—Mu Bai's older sister.

Yan Qiu could be ignored for now. She had distanced herself from Salan and was uninvolved in the central power struggle after the upheaval, effectively removing herself from the competition.

Now, it came down to just her and this girl, Bai Lu, locked in a final life-and-death battle.

The girl, Bai Lu, said softly, "Before the Grand Inquisitor left, he said—only one of us may live."

Blue Bat's expression turned grim. The Seven Red Cardinals each had a Grand Inquisitor, and every one of them had been sent personally by the Pope. They were akin to "Grand Elders" in cultivation novels—carriers of a sect's legacy.

So long as they existed, the Black Vatican's structure would remain intact. If one wished to inherit the title of Red Cardinal, the Grand Inquisitor was the first trial.

"You think you've already won?"

At that moment, Blue Bat remained calm on the surface but was filled with a sense of danger inside. Among Salan's disciples, she had joined the latest and had the weakest foundation. Escaping Bai Lu's carefully planned killing formation would be exceedingly difficult.

Fortunately, she had a trump card. She thought to herself: "I wonder if the Judgment Court's promised pursuit is in place yet. Only in chaos can I find a chance to escape."

For now, all she could do was stall and try to provoke Bai Lu's suspicion. She deliberately said, "Don't forget—of Salan's three most trusted aides, Black Pharmacist, Pontiff Wu Ku, and the Grand Inquisitor—none of them came to Japan. All have vanished without a trace.

"These people don't recognize us. Us fighting each other is nothing more than a joke to entertain others. Why not join forces to eliminate the others first, then settle our score?"

The current situation was not unlike the struggle for succession in a feudal dynasty. The central authority was embroiled in a power grab, while the powerful regional generals wavered in loyalty and might end up aiding someone else's rise.

Bai Lu smiled, unmoved. "That's not your concern. As long as you're dead, I'll have half a ticket into the ranks of the Red Cardinals."

As the two continued their conversation, they gradually moved away from the bustling crowd toward a secluded area.

While Blue Bat grew increasingly anxious and began contemplating ways to escape, nearby, the ghostly Lu Jun overheard their conversation and let out a faint smile in his heart.

He had already locked onto the positions of all the remaining Black Vatican members, yet he didn't alert them—instead, he silently placed Psychic Imprints and Fear Mist Marks on them.

There were too many people at the dock. If the Black Vatican were to be startled and took a large number of tourists hostage, it would be a disaster.

Lu Jun suppressed the urge and quietly followed the two women.

During the process, he felt slightly disappointed—this Black Vatican group's highest level was only Advanced, and there wasn't a single Super-level presence. Wu Ku and the other major figures each had their own plans and had left by other routes.

"No matter. I'll make contact with Blue Bat and help her ascend to Red Cardinal status, so I can get involved in the Black Vatican's internal affairs."

Lu Jun thought to himself. As he watched the Black Vatican members escort Blue Bat down a remote alleyway, he finally moved. Without warning, he suddenly appeared beside the girl Bai Lu and drove the Tai'a Sword straight into her chest.

In that instant, Bai Lu, who had been clinging to Blue Bat like an intimate companion, felt her heart freeze. The alarm bell in her mind rang out.

Pfft! A sound of flesh being pierced rang out. Bai Lu was caught completely off guard. Unable to dodge, a bloody hole appeared in her chest. Her delicate face was filled with disbelief.

Blue Bat reacted quickly. She flung Bai Lu off and silently slipped into the shadows, vanishing.

Before leaving, she turned back and saw behind the girl Bai Lu, a young man in a black-gold coat smiling faintly at her. In her mind, a Psychic Voice suddenly rang out:

"Stinger. We'll meet again after this."

As the words fell, Blue Bat's heart trembled. She didn't say another word and quickly fled.

Back at the scene, the surrounding Black Vatican members disguised as tourists suddenly awoke from their daze. Realization struck, and they turned their furious gazes on Lu Jun standing at the center of the group.

Just as Lu Jun was about to speak, he felt an intensely dangerous aura erupting beside him.

Rip!

The girl Bai Lu's skin split open, revealing an unidentifiable form beneath. Snow-white fur spread across her entire body, her muscles rapidly expanded, antlers sprouted from her forehead, and her pupils became ferocious and brutal.

Her body suddenly leapt several meters into the air. The fatal wound in her chest healed at an alarming rate.

It had arrived—the Black Vatican's unique and bizarre Dark Ritual Technique!

For additional chapters

Versatile mage {40 chapters}

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

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