Arriving at Yanming Temple / Tear the Evil Spirit Apart

This is the instinct of Summoning Mage, a yearning to witness even more powerful Demon Beast.

Beside him, Jiang Shaoxu suddenly asked, "What is the name of this supreme being?"

"Its name is [Baxia]!"

Lu Jun replied, then fell into deep thought. He recalled a temple on the coast of Japan that housed a Wooden Fish Magic Tool, which happened to be the totem of Baxia.

I don't know if I can get it, after all, it's a rare item that can double the Water Element defense.

Chapter 283 Arrival, Yanming Temple

Lu Jun shook his head. Let nature take its course.

Having both White Tiger Pendant and Water Repelling Pearl, given Xiao Muyu's aversion to Mo Fan in the original story, it's unlikely she could obtain it.

The sea was calm, and everyone relaxed, curiously leaning against the ship's railing, looking down at the seabed. Soon, the huge underwater shadow gradually sank and disappeared into the depths.

The sea has returned to its original deep blue color.

After this little incident, the Nationalist government officials and others discussed it animatedly, finding it quite amazing. Jiang Shaoxu looked at Lu Jun, hesitant to speak, but ultimately remained silent.

Lu Jun pretended not to notice, but thought to himself that the fish had taken the bait. His tactic was called "feigning indifference to lure the prey," deliberately mentioning things related to the totem so that Jiang Shaoxu, who was obsessed with her brother, would willingly hand over information.

Cough cough cough, Jiang Shaoxu, you don't want your brother's hard work to be in vain, do you?

He shook off the wild thoughts in his mind. Damn it, Japan is a toxic place. It has already begun to change just by getting close to the sea.

A moment later, the Nationalist government officials saw a line of black coastline in the distance, and the port was bustling with activity. They were no longer alone on the sea, but encountered many fishing boats.

When the ship docked, Lu Jun stepped onto land, filled with emotion. The ocean had been so calm all the way, who could have imagined that it would be fraught with danger just four or five years later?

However, this was also due to the Japanese Sea Battle City, which served as a barrier against the Sea Demon Empire to the east, acting as the first island chain.

Soon, this group of outstanding young people, who stood out from the crowd and were out of place among the local residents, attracted the attention of several coast guard officers at the port, who approached them to negotiate.

Lu Jun was too lazy to get entangled with the coast guard, so he secretly released Mind Magic. His eyes flashed with transparent light, and a silent wave spread, enveloping the group of people nearby.

The light emanating from everyone seemed to dim slightly, instantly reducing their presence.

At the same time, two fishermen who were trading next door suddenly got into an argument and started arguing fiercely, their faces red with anger.

The coast guards seemed lost halfway there, as if they had forgotten what they were supposed to do. Upon seeing this, they turned a corner, bypassed the crowd, and frowned as they stepped forward to stop the two fishermen.

Lu Jun, a high-level Mind Element, easily distorted the perceptions of ordinary people and manipulated their emotions.

None of the dozen or so people from the Nationalist government noticed any of this; their level of understanding was too low.

The group was simply relieved that they were undocumented but had managed to slip through customs.

Upon leaving the port, because the group didn't have ID cards, they couldn't stay at a hotel in Little Bear City and were forced to spend a few days at a temple on a mountain by the sea.

The monks at the temple took them in temporarily out of consideration for the money they donated.

This temple is called [Yanming Temple]. It is in the typical Japanese temple style, with a stone door at the foot of the mountain and marble steps leading straight up the mountain.

The temple was Leng Qing, with few worshippers and very few monks.

Lu Jun led his group into the temple, and looking back, he discovered that Mo Fan had disappeared again. Where had he gone off to gallivanting off to?

Seeing this, Guan Yu muttered discontentedly, "Always acting on his own, too self-centered."

Hearing this, Lu Jun deeply agreed. He hadn't felt it when Mo Fan was a teammate, but now that he needed to manage the entire team, Mo Fan was definitely a troublemaker.

Being a team leader is anything but easy. If it weren't for the fact that he had the largest share of the Nationalist government's resources, he would have quit.

He gazed thoughtfully at the temple in the darkness, where the Baxia totem [wooden fish] was sealed.

However, due to the long period of absence of its spirit, the wooden fish was possessed by an Evil Spirit that was accidentally conjured, turning it into a tool for evil deeds.

To be fair, the Japanese art style has a touch of the underworld, as seen in Yanming Temple's Evil Spirit and their upcoming challenge to the Nationalist government's [Shuangshou Pavilion].

The latter is the legendary birthplace of the Red Demon, the origin of demons.

Upon entering the temple, the National Team, exhausted, went to find their dormitories to rest.

Lu Jun silently sensed the environment of Yanming Temple. An aura of Mind Curse, imperceptible to others, permeated the air, undetectable even to mages with only Curse Element or Mind Element.

Just like Ai Jiangtu and Jiang Shaoxu had no doubts whatsoever.

Time passed slowly.

In the middle of the night, Lu Jun was suddenly awakened by the noise of his teammates.

He rushed over and saw Zhao Manyan, with his dyed blonde hair, lying stiffly on the ground. Fortunately, Li Kai caught him quickly, and a group of people hurriedly laid Old Zhao flat on the bed.

The team's Healer Mage, Nan Rongni, stepped forward to examine him and shook his head slightly. "There are no signs of poisoning. His mind is completely still, and his body is ice cold. The latter is not a problem, but I am helpless when it comes to his soul."

Guan Yu said irritably, "What exactly happened? Where did Zhao Manyan get his hands on these unclean things?"

"Oh, right." Jiang Yu exclaimed in surprise, glancing at the twelve people around him, and asked in astonishment, "Where is Mo Fan?"

Lu Jun looked around. In the Original Timeline, Mo Fan and Jiang Shaoxu went down the mountain together, but now Jiang Shaoxu was so distracted by the totem information he revealed that she had no interest in fooling around with other men.

Mo Fan should be back soon. Before that, he probably encountered that Evil Spirit monk spirit named [Narahara Sora] and the soul girl Miyata that it enslaved.

Sure enough, Mo Fan appeared at the door, saying casually, "What's going on with you all gathered together?"

In an instant, everyone's eyes were fixed on Mo Fan. Guan Yu shouted, "Where have you been? Something happened to Zhao Manting!"

Upon hearing this, Mo Fan rushed to the bedside, staring in astonishment at Zhao Manyan lying on the bed. He suddenly recalled Narahara Sora's words and Miyata's questioning of his life, and his face twisted with anger.

"Holy crap, could what that monk said be true?"

Everyone was puzzled and quickly pressed for answers.

Mo Fan said with a grim expression, "I encountered a ghost girl. She asked me my name, and I told her it was Old Zhao. Later, the monk reminded me that the girl was a ghost that steals souls."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shaoxu, one of the women in the team, got goosebumps and spat out, "There are no such eerie ghosts in this world, only Demon Beast."

Jiang Yu gave a thumbs up and said, "Goodness, Zhao Manyan is incredibly lucky to have you as a friend; he's just incredibly unlucky."

Beside him, Ai Jiangtu pondered for a moment, then said, "Where there's smoke, there's fire. Legends have some basis in fact. How about we two go together to find that girl, Miyata, and find out the truth?"

The others agreed and looked at Captain Lu Jun, awaiting his decision.

Lu Jun pondered and realized that Mo Fan had been misled by the Evil Spirit monk, and that Miyata was just a scapegoat, a false illusion.

In fact, he had been using his mental powers to search for Evil Spirit ever since he entered Yanming Temple, but Narahara Sora hid them very well and he couldn't catch them.

Now things have taken a turn for the better. The Evil Spirit have made their move, and wherever they go, they leave traces. Old Zhao in front of us is a perfect example.

"No need, I have a way to find out who's behind this."

Lu Jun confidently stated, "Soul-summoning by name is actually a type of Curse Magic. I will use Old Zhao's body as a medium to curse the other party in reverse. During this time, my body will be unable to move, so I will trouble you to protect me."

Chapter 284 Tearing the Evil Spirit Apart

Everyone's faces lit up with joy, almost forgetting that their captain was a master of Curse Element magic.

Of course, Ai Jiangtu still had some doubts. Although Lu Jun's cultivation was a level higher than his, they were both high-level Curse Element, so the difference shouldn't be too exaggerated. How come he didn't sense it?

Lu Jun didn't explain. Instead, he began to depict the Summoning System Star Track. A massive black-purple magic circle intertwined, surging dark mist filled the air, accompanied by wisps of black lightning, and intense Mind Curse fluctuations soared into the sky.

For a moment Ai Jiangtu and the others were forced back, their expressions filled with astonishment as an elegant and handsome black and white behemoth stepped out from the formation, its domineering aura sweeping across the entire area.

"Commander-level Summoned Beast!"

Jiang Yu was taken aback, and asked with envy, "Lu Jun, did you catch it in the Dark Forest that Master pointed out?"

"That's right." Lu Jun chuckled, "We also have to thank your master, Chief Pang Lai."

The others were equally shaken. A single demon-ruling being was comparable to a dozen members of their national government. They secretly resolved to break through to the higher ranks as soon as possible.

Then Lu Jun turned to the Night Thunder Dream Beast and instructed it, "You protect it for me."

He summoned the dream beast for two reasons. One was, of course, to protect himself, since he wasn't very familiar with the people from the National Government and wouldn't feel comfortable entrusting it to them. The other was to cover his spellcasting and amplify his spiritual realm.

In reality, Lu Jun lied. Curse Element alone cannot identify Evil Spirit; they require the involvement of Mind Element attacks, which is perfectly concealed by the attributes of Night Thunder Dream Beast.

The Night Thunder Dream Beast nodded, circled his body, and spread out dark patterns, forming a dark array that would immobilize anyone who stepped into it.

Immediately, Lu Jun sat down cross-legged, enveloped in the hazy Nightmare Domain of the Summoned Beast, making it impossible for outsiders to see his appearance.

Buzz buzz buzz!

He controlled the stars, and one transparent Star Chart after another appeared, intertwining into a dazzling transparent constellation. His vertical pupil pierced through the center of his brain, staring intently at Old Zhao lying in front of him.

The next moment, Lu Jun's Soul Evasion, and a transparent and solid phantom appeared, its body outlined with black and red curse patterns, a starry river swirling around its heart, and its every move sending gusts of cold wind, eerie and sinister.

That's right, he brought the Curse Element galaxy into his Spirit Body: "Tsk tsk tsk, it's a bit like [astral projection]."

At the same time, Lu Jun looked down and saw his own body limply collapsing onto the Night Thunder Dream Beast.

"Wooden Fish Evil Spirit, let me find your trace."

Lu Jun's eyes lit up as he looked at Zhao Manyan on the bed. Under the dual influence of the Mind Curse, his vision changed.

A long strand of soul energy emerged from Old Zhao's forehead, disappeared into the void, and reached the distant horizon.

This is the connection between the soul and the body.

With a thought, he activated the Ghost Execution of Through-the-Net, and the ghostly figure of Black Impermanence emerged, transforming into a black cloak that enveloped his soul.

Soon, Lu Jun's spirit body drifted away and entered the void where the soul threads had disappeared. A hazy mist emerged from the wall and flew along the dark forest towards a secluded little temple deep in the mountains.

As he passed by, he saw twelve nervous members of the Nationalist government below, and encountered a large number of small animals and insects in the dense jungle.

"Got you?"

Lu Jun's spirit arrived at a long-sealed temple, sneered, and looked from afar at a wooden fish enshrined on the altar inside the temple.

And accompanied by a hazy spiritual illusion descending upon the four sides of the temple, emanating an ominous dark red hue.

This is something ordinary people can't see at all. Evil Spirit are essentially Cursed Ghost Object, and require a higher level of spiritual vision than that needed to perceive the dead to be detected.

"Is this the internal space that comes with the Wooden Fish Magic Tool?"

He seemed lost in thought, contemplating the Bloody Great Marsh resembling the White Tiger Pendant and the Styx River resembling the Azure Dragon Pendant of Mo Fan.

A moment later, Lu Jun's spirit body floated to the edge of the mental illusion. His illusory hand touched the barrier, and a series of hissing corrosion sounds rang out. A dark red light shone, and a force of resistance struck, knocking him back several meters.

"Interesting, but unfortunately it can't stop me."

Seeing this, Lu Jun spoke calmly, and a powerful Mental Fluctuation surged from his body, showing signs of transforming his illusory soul into a physical form, interfering with the surrounding reality and distorting the air.

Rumble!

His momentum steadily increased, reaching the peak of the sixth realm. With the blessing of the Summoned Beast Night Thunder Dream Beast, his Mental Power had already reached the limit of the high-level level.

"Open it!"

Lu Jun stretched out his hands, which transformed into a pair of enormous ghostly claws, tearing the barrier apart violently.

With a tearing sound, his spirit, like Demon God, actually tore a crack in the mental illusion with his bare hands and suddenly plunged into it.

In an instant, Lu Jun's vision spun, and he fell into a real world.

He stood in the sky and looked down. This was an area exactly the same as Yanming Temple outside, except that it was daytime, and it was bustling with people and cars, extremely prosperous.

"Have the scenes of Yanming Temple over the past ten years been recorded?"

Lu Jun muttered to himself, knowing full well that there are no vengeful spirits in the world without a reason.

Where there are Evil Spirit, there are bound to be grievances.

There is a cliché yet poignant story about the Evil Spirit Nara monk and the Miyata girl.

Originally, Yanming Temple was a popular place of worship, but Nara was inconspicuous among them. He was responsible for fetching water down the mountain every day. There happened to be a girl named Miyata at the foot of the mountain, and the two developed feelings for each other.

As a result, another monk, Qihai, encountered this. Because he was jealous and also because he was not pure himself, he was discovered when he secretly went down the mountain to seek pleasure. He then framed Nara and Miyata for having an affair that night.

Unfortunately, the two happened to be together that night, and their testimonies didn't match. Unable to defend themselves, Miyata chose to commit suicide to prove his innocence.

Nara harbored intense resentment and committed suicide for love. By a twist of fate, he was captured by Baxia's wooden fish totem and raised to become an evil spirit.

This is the origin of Evil Spirit.

"Your revenge is justified, but if it involves sacrificing innocent lives, then it is utterly evil."