Tides / Coming Clean

But Tang Yue was two or three years older than her sister.

"A Spirit Seed." Lu Mei paused, then nodded with anticipation. "All right. We've saved up 25 million in a year. It's a pity we didn't encounter any General-level Demon Beasts this year. If we'd saved up 40 million, maybe we could both have gotten Spirit Seeds."

Honestly, she'd never dared dream of owning a Spirit Seed before. She'd thought Intermediate Level was as far as she'd ever get.

She hadn't expected her younger brother's Metal Element to help her take off. Now, even reaching Advanced Level seemed possible.

"Come on, let's go."

Lu Mei packed her clothes and urged him on impatiently. In a small city like Bo City, Intermediate Level resources were already about as good as they got, whether they came from groups of One-Eyed Magic Wolves in the wilderness or from the Magic Association itself.

Only a world-class metropolis like Magic City had abundant resources, with everything below Forbidden Curse Level available.

As long as you had the money, you could buy a Spirit Seed, and there were plenty of top-quality ones.

Magic City was quite a distance from Bo City. The siblings first went to nearby Xiamen, then took the high-speed train. In the Magic World, cities could only function with dedicated barrier systems. Otherwise, when Demon Beasts attacked, the people inside would be little more than canned meat.

They spent a night at a hotel in the bustling city center, then headed to the auction house recommended by the Magic Association. There was no need to find someone to pull strings.

That was one of the benefits of the two years Lu Jun and his sister had spent hunting Demon Beasts: they'd built connections with major organizations while selling materials and Essence Souls, including the Demon Hunting Alliance and the Magic Association.

They had Advanced Demon Hunter certificates with the former, while the latter treated them as VIPs.

Lu Jun didn't go to the auction house with his sister. She was the one choosing the Spirit Seed, after all. He stayed at the hotel, concentrating on controlling the Water Element Star Nebula he'd just advanced to Intermediate Level.

About seven or eight hours later, Lu Mei returned, holding an icy, mechanical-looking magic energy box containing a Spirit Seed. Her smile was radiant, and even her steps seemed lighter.

Seeing her, Lu Jun scratched his head and smiled. "So, what kind of Spirit Seed did you buy?"

He wasn't jealous or feeling shortchanged. They were family. They could earn it all back together over the next year or two, and he'd get a Spirit Seed of his own.

Besides, once he got into an academy, with his strength he'd be assigned Spirit Seed Fragments regularly. Combining ten fragments into a Water Element Spirit Seed would be easy.

Lu Mei gave him a mysterious smile and teased, "Take a guess."

"I can't." Lu Jun rolled his eyes and opened the magic energy box. A mighty surge of water vapor burst out, instantly filling the room, while an azure glow shone all around them.

"This is... a Water Element Spirit Seed?!"

Lu Jun was stunned. He looked up at his sister and saw her radiant smile, made breathtaking by the azure light.

He understood in an instant. He stared at Lu Mei, speechless, as if a stone had lodged in his heart.

"Hey... you should've just bought one for yourself. You didn't need to surprise me."

A moment later, Lu Jun pressed a hand to his forehead. He probably didn't even realize how hoarse his voice had become.

Lu Mei replied gently, "You need a Water Element Spirit Seed more than I do... You've been so anxious these past three years, like something's chasing you. Is it because of your new Metal Element magic? I don't know... but I thought getting stronger might make you feel safer."

Tide

Lu Jun's thoughts surged, his emotions rising like waves. Even if he had a thousand things to say, he couldn't put them into words.

He'd once been alone, striving for fame and fortune, and everything he gained was for himself. Now, he believed some things mattered more than all the rest.

Lu Mei urged him, "Hurry up and refine this Spirit Seed. I spent 23 million to win this top-quality Water Element Spirit Seed at auction. It's called Tide."

At her words, Lu Jun calmed himself. He didn't say much, but he held his feelings close.

Still, the price of this Water Element Spirit Seed was lower than he'd expected. It looked flawless, yet it was surprisingly cheap. Mo Fan's future Lightning Seed, Thousand Jun, would cost 28 million.

He could roughly guess why. First, Magic City was on the coast, close to Japan, so it had abundant Water Element resources. Second, Lightning Element resources were scarce, which drove up their price.

Full of anticipation, Lu Jun reached into the magic energy box toward the mass of azure light. The Tide Water Seed looked crystal-clear, like a gemstone.

Inside, though, it held layer upon layer of swirling patterns, like waves rising over the ocean. If he held it to his ear, he could hear a faint, rustling tide.

When Lu Jun put his hand inside, it felt as if he were immersing it in extremely dense mercury. The buoyancy squeezed and pushed against him, but soon the azure mass melted, and countless streams of water seeped from his palm into his body, coolness spreading through him.

Lu Jun closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, sensing the strange element. He was washed by an immense quantity of pure Water Element energy, as though he were in the ocean, with powerful tides crashing against the reefs wave after wave, wearing them smooth and making them denser.

His skin grew smooth and lustrous, yet also took on a certain toughness. His muscle density increased, his blood grew more viscous, and his capillaries were subtly reshaped, causing his vitality to rise steadily.

Even before, after advancing to Intermediate Level, his physique had been comparable to that of an elite athlete. Now, after refining a Spirit Seed, he might have reached a superhuman level.

In his Spiritual World, his azure Water Element Nebula seemed to be forcibly infused with a denser kind of water. Pure Water Element energy suddenly surged from its depths, rapidly turning it azure.

The vortex grew wider and wider. The concentrated, viscous water rotated slowly, yet with unshakable resolve, like a bottomless Sea Abyss standing in the cosmos.

For the first time, the Water Element Nebula pushed the Metal Element Nebula aside and took the central position.

Rumble!

Outside, azure light enveloped Lu Jun. Tides surged from his body in layer after layer, leaving the room damp.

As Lu Mei watched anxiously, her younger brother opened his eyes and smiled.

She hurriedly asked, "How did it go?"

"It's powerful." Lu Jun carefully sensed the energy stored in the Azure Star Nebula. All his Water Element magic would now be three times as effective!

That was terrifying. Ordinary Spirit Seeds boosted magic by two or three times. His had reached the maximum effect: one Water Shield skill could do the work of three, and where he'd once struggled to withstand an Advancement Period Magic Wolf, now he could take a swipe from a General-level Magic Wolf.

Most importantly, the Spirit Seed had another special effect called Tide.

The Spirit Seed was named after it. Anyone who'd played by the ocean knew that its tides seemed harmless at a glance, but were actually responsible for countless deaths.

At first, you could easily withstand a single wave and think nothing of it. Then the second and third waves would gradually wear you out. By the time you realized you were exhausted and tried to reach shore, you'd find you no longer had the strength.

Yet each wave rose higher than the last. The tide rocked you back and forth, and buoyancy and impact tugged at your body. Even if someone on shore spotted you and tried to save you, they'd be pitting themselves against the energy of the entire ocean.

Based on Lu Jun's experiments, the effect worked like this: whenever Azure Water washed over a Demon Beast or mage, it drained a little of their stamina or magic energy. The amount was small each time.

That stolen magic energy then blended into the water. When he cast magic a second time, its power increased by 20 percent; the third time, by 40 percent, and so on.

"The target has to be hit, of course. But that's easy enough with Water Element magic. The Intermediate Level skill Storm Wave summons a torrent and attacks a wide area."

Lu Jun was thrilled. This Spirit Seed was a perfect match for an Intermediate Level Water Element mage's skills. Storm Wave had an extremely high chance of triggering its effect.

By comparison, Water Shield required a Demon Beast to get close, and only then could Turbulent Cycle wash over the target. The odds of triggering the effect in combat were lower.

Imagine if he unleashed five Intermediate Level spells in a row. On top of the Spirit Seed's usual boost, they'd gain an additional 100 percent in power. The fifth spell would be six times as powerful as an ordinary Water Element mage's, nearly reaching Advanced Level.

And that wasn't even the limit.

As long as Lu Jun had enough magic energy and time to build up momentum, raising a world-shaking wave would be easy.

"But the stronger the magic, the greater the mental cultivation needed to control it."

He thought it over and immediately saw the limitation. With an ordinary mage's mental strength, they'd probably struggle to control the third or fourth spell. After all, it was only a Spirit-level Water Seed.

Lu Jun was different. As he cultivated the Mind and Curse Elements, his spiritual realm kept growing stronger. There was no end to the power he could unleash.

"This effect feels familiar. Could it have come from Sea Battle City in Japan?"

Lu Jun didn't know, but he did know that his Water Element had finally become a powerhouse! His old role as support was over. He was a full-fledged damage dealer, and one Spirit Seed had changed everything.

"Maybe no one can withstand a fifth Storm Wave. Tide is more like two effects than one: it drains the other person's stamina and magic energy... Tsk, tsk."

With the help of his four Elements, he'd already devised several complete combat strategies. He was excellent at stalling for time, especially with his Mind and Curse Elements. His beginner-level spells were quick to cast, so he could interrupt an opponent preparing an Intermediate Level spell, then fill the battlefield with Storm Waves and wash everything away.

One word: invincible.

Seeing how delighted her younger brother was, Lu Mei smiled. "As long as you're happy. It's getting late, so get some sleep tonight. We'll head back tomorrow."

They didn't say much for the rest of the night. Lu Jun was too excited to sleep, so he meditated all night.

Before leaving, he looked back at Magic City's dazzling nightlife. The place was prosperous and beautiful, but he didn't belong there yet.

Next time, he'd return to Magic City in a far more glorious capacity.

The next evening, the siblings returned to Bo City.

As soon as they got home, Lu Jun decided to come clean to Lu Mei. "Sis, there's something I need to tell you. Don't be shocked."

"Oh?" Lu Mei seemed to have expected this. She replied calmly, "Go ahead."

"Do you know about the Black Vatican?"

Then he told her everything about the sewers, the theft of the Earth Sacred Spring to lure Demon Beasts into invading, and his reasoning for suspecting that there was a mole among Bo City's leadership.

He called it a theory, but he was really hiding part of the truth to make it easier for his sister to accept.

"What?!"

Lu Mei was shocked. She said sternly, "Are you serious? No wonder you've been troubled these past three years. Why didn't you report this to the Adjudication Court?"

"If that were all, I wouldn't be worried. The problem is that I suspect the people above have been infiltrated by the Black Vatican, and they've planted a mole. An anonymous report would only alert them."

Lu Jun sighed, then said cryptically, "There are Black Vatican members among Bo City's leadership. Hangzhou's situation is even more complicated. There might be some there, too."

Coming Clean

Lu Mei furrowed her brows. "I could believe that the Black Vatican had infiltrated other organizations, but the Adjudication Court has the Oath Tree. Anyone who swears beneath that divine tree absolutely cannot break their oath, or they'll lose their cultivation."

"Every member has to pass that test. The Adjudication Court is absolutely the cleanest organization there is."

Lu Jun pressed his lips together. This was the difficult part. Others were unlikely to believe him and would rather trust the Adjudication Court.

Fortunately, his sister trusted him unconditionally, and she quickly steered the conversation in a different direction.

"Forget it. Since you're a Mind Mage and your sixth sense is telling you something's wrong, then don't go to the Adjudication Court. Find someone you believe you can tell, and work with them. We'll investigate and gather evidence first."

Hearing his sister's gentle words of support moved Lu Jun. He already had a plan to deal with the Black Vatican. Even without anyone else's help, the two of them could avert half of Bo City's crisis.

The only thing he had to watch out for was the Black Vatican's retaliation later.

A lot of people didn't dare go up against them for exactly that reason. At most, they'd report them anonymously, afraid of dragging their families into it.

But Lu Jun knew the Black Vatican's members and distribution all too well. Its power was spread across the whole world, rooted in human society. At the top was the White Pope, who commanded the seven Cardinals beneath her.

Each Cardinal was like a regional king. They generally listened when the Pope spoke, but didn't take orders from her.

The Black Vatican here was only part of the whole organization. Originally, there'd only been one Cardinal here. Unfortunately, reality didn't care about the plot: in the future, three Cardinals would come here to cause trouble.

The operation in Bo City had been planned by one of them, Salang. Her traditional power base was overseas, so she was something of an outsider here. The ones directly responsible for carrying out her plans were two of her subordinates: Tiger Jin Grand Deacon Mu He and Palm Leader Wu Ku.

Salang's real name was Ye Chang. She was also Mo Fan's stepmother and the biological mother of his younger sister, Ye Xin Xia... Tsk, what a complicated family.

Of course, the two sides had fallen out long ago because of the Disaster of Bo City. Later, Mo Fan relentlessly pursued Salang, and Xin Xia killed her own mother. They were a shining example of a loving mother and filial daughter.

Lu Jun knew that the Disaster of Bo City was merely a preview of the Ancient Capital Undead Disaster.

Even if he antagonized them, there were two reasons not to worry too much: their local power base was weak, and Salang was currently focused on the Ancient Capital, which kept her tied up for the time being. He had nothing to fear from retaliation in the short term.

As for the future, heh. Let's see if she even survives the Ancient Capital!

He silently steeled his resolve. Besides, a great opportunity awaited him in the Ancient Capital. And the Black Vatican had abundant resources for the Mind and Curse Elements. Those were the main reasons he'd chosen those two Elements. He was going to take full advantage of them.

But Lu Jun had to admit that Mu He and Wu Ku alone would already be difficult to deal with. The former was Advanced Level; the latter, Super Rank.

Mu He was responsible for making Frenzied Spring and digging through Bo City's underground tunnels to open a path for the attack. Wu Ku, meanwhile, could Call Wind Summon Rain, mixing Frenzied Spring into the rainwater and unleashing a storm that drove the Demon Beasts in the wilderness into a frenzy.

The Disaster of Bo City began under a torrential downpour.

Fortunately, Lu Jun clearly remembered Salang's orders: people like Mu He and Wu Ku absolutely couldn't reveal their identities. Most likely, they wouldn't make a move themselves. That left the Demon Beasts.

So it wasn't difficult, but it wasn't simple either.

He wanted to tear up the script and take a few people out, but he wasn't strong enough. It was better to stay cautious, pretend he knew nothing, play along with their plans, and save Bo City without forcing Mu He or Wu Ku to act.

There was no need to make things harder for himself. He should keep his advantage of knowing what was coming and take the long view.

The next day, Lu Mei went with her younger brother to investigate at the Hunter's Alliance. Sure enough, sightings of Giant Eyed Rat Demons in the sewers had increased considerably over the past year. There had even been cases of Advancement Period Magic Wolves appearing inside the city.

That was outrageous. It meant some underground passage connected to the wilderness outside the city. Once a Demon Beast tide began, they could very well bypass the defenses of Snow Peak Mountain Outpost and invade the city, causing countless casualties.

"We need to inspect the place ourselves." Lu Mei realized how serious the situation was. She said gravely, "No one reported something this serious. The Advancement Period Magic Wolves appeared in Bo City, and the higher-ups didn't react at all. They just buried the matter. You were right: there's a Black Vatican mole among them."

The siblings decided to survey the sewer entrances and inspect them one by one.

That night, at the library of Inscription Women's High School.

Two girls were looking up information in books. One sat in a wheelchair, gentle in temperament and flawless in appearance, though her legs sadly couldn't support her. The other was healthy and rather pretty.

The two chatted and laughed. Then the girl in the wheelchair frowned and asked, "Lin Yun'er, do you smell something foul?"

The healthy girl named Lin Yun'er sniffed and shrugged it off. "I do. The school cafeteria's right next door, so it's probably the smell of leftover food they haven't thrown out yet. Nothing unusual."