Capture and Reward / The Curse Element Reaches Intermediate Level ...

Then a nickname spread: Lu Ren Tu!

Everyone at Mingzhu University agreed he was a lunatic. Even the scions of the Great Noble Families were wary of him. They had learned a lot more about him... The Curse Element, huh?

Dean Xiao watched the person who had stirred up this wave of gossip and smiled without saying a word. Once everything was settled, he simply left. The students at the academy were still lacking a sense of urgency. Lu Jun's little shock had come at just the right time.

Chapter 63: Capture and Reward

Lu Jun had no idea he'd caused such a huge stir. He hadn't even entered the academy yet, but he had already earned the wariness and fear of every student at Mingzhu.

Even if he'd known, he wouldn't have cared. In fact, he welcomed it. Showing his claws and building a reputation as a lunatic had too many benefits. In this world, good people got bullied, while those with bad tempers were treated better.

When Lu Mei and Night Hawk arrived at the abandoned factory, they drew a sharp breath at the sight of the bodies strewn across the ground, all staring at the sky with unseeing eyes.

They walked inside and saw a young man sitting with his legs crossed in the darkness. Beside him was a black Pool of Curses, and his left foot rested on Yu Ang's head, which was submerged in the water.

The moment Lu Mei saw her younger brother, she went over and gave him a gentle hug. "Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine." Lu Jun awkwardly slipped out of his sister's arms and addressed the winged man behind her. "You're Night Hawk, right? I've heard Adjudicator Tang mention you."

Night Hawk nodded and managed a stiff smile. "Lu Jun, the Bo City Sword Immortal. I've heard a lot about you."

The losses in Bo City hadn't been great, so the battle had become an official story they could proudly promote.

"It's just a name." Lu Jun smiled politely, then stood and kicked Yu Ang, who was sprawled out like a dead dog.

He gestured toward him. "I've already dug the information out of his head. There's a Blue Robe Deacon in Magic City. The address is... If you don't believe me, you can bring in a Mind Mage to question him."

At that, Night Hawk's expression turned serious. He immediately made a call, giving the Adjudication Court its assignments and setting an operation in motion.

Seeing Lu Jun's surprised expression, he smiled. "Of course I believe a city guardian. And you've made such a commotion that we can barely keep this place locked down tonight. If we don't move now and wait until tomorrow morning, the information will probably leak, and that Blue Robe Deacon will be long gone."

Lu Jun nodded, finding it all strangely unreal. It was like a game. He'd guarded Bo City and earned a badge: [Bo City Sword Immortal]. It gleamed above his head, and its effect was Reputation +10. When he met any official mage, it increased his persuasiveness by 50.

Soon, mages from the Adjudication Court arrived one after another and began interrogating Yu Ang. Once they verified the information, they sent out teams of adjudicators to drag every rat out of the sewers.

Even Night Hawk hurried off, saying they'd found the Blue Robe Deacon's trail.

The operation lasted from the middle of the night until dawn.

Lu Jun and his sister stayed in the abandoned factory the whole time. When Tang Yue came hurrying over, she chided him, "Why were you so reckless? You should've waited until everyone was here."

They'd only been apart for a few days, but seeing Tang Yue's beautiful face worn with exhaustion after rushing all the way here still moved Lu Jun. He waved it off. "Thanks. When it comes to the Black Vatican, you have to hit them hard. Otherwise, they'll keep haunting you."

"Tch, you've only got so many lives." Tang Yue affectionately tapped Lu Jun on the head, then turned her bright eyes to Lu Mei. "Having a younger brother like this must be such a headache."

Lu Mei gave a helpless, indulgent smile. "He's always had a mind of his own. What can I do?"

Although Lu Jun appreciated being fussed over by the two women, something about this didn't seem right. They'd only met recently, so how had they become so close? They were practically best friends.

Soon, Lu Mei turned and took Tang Yue's hand, raising an eyebrow. "This is Sister Tang Yue. From now on, she's your big sister too, so show her some respect."

Tang Yue chuckled like a bewitching fox. She placed a hand on Lu Jun's head and ruffled his hair roughly. "You heard her. I'm your big sister now, so you'd better respect me from the bottom of your heart."

Lu Jun understood the unspoken message: don't tell anyone about what happened in Xishui Town. It was a blatant threat.

He pursed his lips, wondering what kind of spell she'd put on his sister.

A while later, daylight broke, and Night Hawk returned, looking exhausted. He smiled at Lu Jun. "Not bad. We caught a Blue Robe Deacon. If we follow the trail, we might even find Salang."

Lu Jun took that with a grain of salt. A Cardinal wasn't so easy to catch. In the original story, they'd arrested so many Blue Robe Deacons and still hadn't caught Salang.

Still, dealing with the Blue Robe Deacon in Magic City a year and a half early would prevent plenty of unnecessary deaths.

Night Hawk said sincerely, "Thank you. The government will reward you. Do you know the Adjudication Court's bounty? A Blue Robe Deacon's head is worth 120 million, and a Gray Robe Cleric's is worth 20 million. You'll get at least 20 million for the former, and with the latter, that's 40 million."

At the mention of a real reward, Lu Jun's eyes lit up. The original story had offered the same amount, and most people thought it was too little.

After all, fighting the Black Vatican was incredibly dangerous.

Seeing the greed on Lu Jun's face, Tang Yue gave him a shove and scolded him. "Don't let money blind you. You risked your life for it. Just go to university and focus on your studies and cultivation. Don't get involved in this stuff again."

Maybe their joint operation in Xishui Town had brought Tang Yue and Lu Jun closer. It wasn't romantic, but she'd started to see him as a younger brother.

He nodded perfunctorily. "Got it."

Nearby, Lu Mei covered her mouth and chuckled. "That's a good thing. Now someone can keep you in line. You've grown up, and it's getting harder and harder for me to manage you."

Lu Jun had just finished placating one of them when he heard his sister's drawn-out, wistful words. His scalp prickled. He knew Lu Mei was upset too. She was blaming him for acting recklessly, while also blaming herself for failing to protect him.

He quickly took her pale hand and nodded. "It's okay. I won't do it again."

Feeling his hand envelop hers in warmth, Lu Mei's face flushed. She said nothing more.

At that moment, Lu Jun felt he was in trouble. He didn't realize that the official mages nearby had seen it and were so jealous they couldn't speak. Who wouldn't want two beautiful older sisters to comfort them after an assassination attempt?

They all thought Lu Jun was the luckiest man alive.

Night Hawk still wore his usual cool, aloof expression and didn't seem to notice anything of the sort.

Instead, Lu Jun asked, "Did you get all of Yu Ang's information?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Nothing." Lu Jun walked over to Yu Ang, who was already foaming at the mouth and staring blankly. He looked down at him. "You have to pull up the roots to get rid of the weeds."

Thwack!

As soon as he spoke, the Dark Gold Flying Sword shot from his hand and pierced Yu Ang's head. Red and white matter splattered everywhere.

Everyone turned to look, unable to suppress a shudder. The young man's expression was cold, his actions decisive. He was nothing like the obedient boy who'd just been in front of his sister. Then again... Anyone who dared stand against the Black Vatican was ruthless.

In the Original Timeline, a year and a half later, Mo Fan failed to kill Yu Ang and let him escape by sheer luck. A few years after that, Yu Ang caused another storm, threatening Mo Fan's father and family to manipulate him.

Lu Jun had learned from that mistake. A dead member of the Black Vatican was always the best kind. Xu Zhaoting would probably have a much happier life in the future.

That settled the matter. Lu Jun packed up the Pool of Curses and took it with him. The Adjudication Court didn't object. Later, even the Imperial Court came to offer condolences. A hero who'd fought the Black Vatican had been assassinated under their watch. They had to give him an explanation.

Chapter 64: The Curse Element Reaches Intermediate Level

A few days passed, and the matter with Yu Ang was settled.

Various versions of the story spread among Magic City's residents, but the Adjudication Court eventually stepped in and set the record straight.

The incident caused a stir online, but only a tiny fraction of internet users noticed anything from the few blurry videos.

"Hey, isn't that the mage who killed members of the Black Vatican the guy from Bo City? He looks a lot like him."

"I heard he's a new student at Mingzhu, a real Lu Ren Tu. Seems like a ruthless one, though I'm not sure."

Unfortunately, even though people talked about it, the incident never caused much of a stir. Within a few weeks, the attention surrounding the Battle of Bo City had faded too. Of course, the people of the Nine Provinces still remembered it. When the time came for it to be mentioned again, their memories would quickly come flooding back.

Lu Jun soon received a city government grant of 50 million. Added to the 20 million he'd already saved, he was unexpectedly close to having enough for a Star River Vein.

It was true: after reincarnating into the Versatile Mage World, all you had to do was take on the Black Vatican. It was the fastest way to make money.

Even Lu Mei was surprised. She said that even if they pooled enough money, she'd still need to refine her cultivation for a while first. After all, a Star River Vein didn't guarantee advancement. It was best to reach a certain threshold before attempting a breakthrough.

After that, Lu Jun packed up the Pool of Curses and took it to Pearl Academy, hoping to find someone to process it with Dean Xiao's help. It was also time to look for a suitable metal magic item.

In his office, Dean Xiao adjusted his glasses and smiled warmly. "I heard what happened. Be careful. You haven't officially started at the school yet, but I still want to say this: Mingzhu is proud of you."

Lu Jun was flattered. "Thank you, Dean Xiao."

"Hahaha, there's no need to be so formal. I'll find someone to process your Curse Substance. You'll have it in a week at most."

Dean Xiao smiled. "By the way, I should thank you for motivating the students at Mingzhu."

At that, Lu Jun's face darkened. He'd joined all sorts of group chats for Mingzhu too, and seeing the forum widely promoting the nickname Lu Ren Tu made him feel thoroughly embarrassed. Lu Sword Immortal would've been better.

He hadn't even entered Mingzhu yet, but the students had already memorized what he looked like and were on their guard.

"All right. Wait for good news."

Lu Jun left the academy and went home. His sister was cultivating too. Because of the sudden incident, neither of them dared go out again before school started. They'd wait until the attention died down.

Their demon-hunting work was temporarily on hold, though they continued gathering information.

Before long, someone from the academy arrived and handed Lu Jun a sealed glass measuring cup, explaining how to use it.

"Curse Substance: [Curse Mark]!"

Lu Jun held the measuring cup in his hands. Inside, a strange cloud of dark green mist swirled, writhing as if it possessed a mind of its own.

Dark Substance and Curse Substance were a little like Contract Beasts, except they were microorganisms without intelligence, acting on instinct and bound by magic as they grew.

The effect of [Curse Mark] was simple and brutal. Any enemy struck by a Curse Element spell would be marked with a Curse Mark. If they didn't immediately spend magic energy to erase it, the mark would deepen over time.

The victim's body would also be corroded by the curse throughout this process. Their pain would intensify, and they'd suffer continuous corrosive damage. Once it had built up enough, Lu Jun could choose to detonate the Curse Mark, inflicting massive damage on both body and soul.

Even if they survived, they'd suffer severe aftereffects: widespread rotting and corrosion like that of a Black Beast Demon, a shortened lifespan, and twisted limbs, among other things.

"Tsk, tsk. Isn't this Curse Substance even stronger than a top-grade Spirit Seed? The Fearful Haze was pretty useless before, but now it has a real purpose. And every Curse Element spell will make the Curse Mark sink in deeper."

Lu Jun was overjoyed. The Curse Element had finally become powerful.

And that was only the Fearful Haze. The Intermediate Level Evil Spider Trap was terrifying: it could mark an entire group, control a wide area, and deal two kinds of damage over a wide area. The spider would drain their souls while the Curse Mark corroded their bodies.

Even if they were lucky enough to break free, they'd still have to face the final blow.

Besides, his attacks were completely different from his metal and Water Element spells. They were strange and difficult to deal with, and particularly effective against tough, thick-skinned enemies. Ordinary mages would have a hard time noticing they'd been marked with a Curse Mark, and even if they did, getting rid of it would be extremely difficult.

After obtaining the Curse Substance, Lu Jun hurried off to cultivate in seclusion.

Lu Mei caught sight of him and smiled, but didn't interfere.

Bzzzz!

In his room, Lu Jun opened the bottle. A wisp of dark green smoke rose out and slipped smoothly in through his fingers, carrying a massive, ominous surge of cursed energy with it into his Spiritual World.

He immersed himself in cultivation. His black-and-red Curse Stardust suddenly surged toward the dark green smoke, which quickly spread and seeped into the seven stars. Powerful energy came with it, battering the barrier of light.

One point... Two points... Three points. More and more gaps were corroded into the barrier.

Before long, the barrier was in tatters. With the slightest push of his thoughts, it shattered.

Rumble! His Stardust began to swell like a balloon, expanding seven or eight times in the blink of an eye. The seven stars instantly became forty-nine.

The Curse Element had reached Intermediate Level!

On top of that, an ominous aura seeped from Lu Jun's body. His skin had turned slightly pale. When he opened his eyes, each reflected a pool of dark green substance slowly flowing, as if some strange creature were imprisoned inside.

A wave of icy energy spread out, making the bedroom look like a haunted house under a ghostly green light.

Lu Jun raised his left hand. A complex, eerie dark green pattern spread across his pale wrist, marking the Curse Substance: Curse Mark.

"Dark Magic: carrying a curse and using it?"

He murmured to himself. Using the Curse Mark had a minor side effect: he was subjected to its corrosion too. But the curse wasn't very powerful, so the price was small and could basically be ignored.

Combined with the physical enhancement from his Water Element Spirit Seed, Tide, he was just about immune to it.

Lu Jun remembered Zhan Kong's advice: the Curse Element drew power from the strength of one's spirit. It wasn't for fighting other mages, but for resisting the curse one carried.

The stronger the curse one bore, the stronger the Curse Mage became.

There was said to be a Scarecrow Curse. Every time the Curse Great Mage harmed himself, his enemy suffered even worse injuries. It was a technique that injured the enemy a thousandfold while costing oneself eight hundred.

There was also the Vampire Curse. It made one fear holy light but strengthened the body. And the Ghost Curse, which let one exist in the world as a spirit, forever undying—but at the cost of no one ever being able to see them again.

There was also the Egyptian Pharaoh's Curse, which turned its bearer into a mummy. They would live forever, but they'd no longer be human.

Even the Zu Family's Curse Body Borrowing Technique was, at its core, a kind of curse. In a way, it was like the spirit mediums of northeastern China: neither good nor evil, but a way to invite a spirit to possess you.

Among all the powerful curses, its price was among the lowest, and its value for money was excellent. As long as one's spiritual realm was strong enough to control the Demon Beast soul and suppress its beastly nature, one could keep wielding it.

That was how the Zu Family had risen above the rest and claimed the top spot. Of course, family members who hadn't trained well tended to be, well, idiots. A few of the later Zu Family members were perfect examples.

By comparison, Lu Jun's Curse Mark was nothing. Its power could crush his peers, but he was still a long way behind the Great Mages out in the wider world.

Still, he was already quite satisfied.

Chapter 65: Going to University

In the blink of an eye, September arrived, and it was time for the new school year.

Lu Jun and his sister had kept a low profile for a month and a half. Ever since his Curse Element had reached Intermediate Level, he'd been concentrating on mastering his stars. With two breakthroughs under his belt, he could just barely cast spells now, though his casting speed was very slow.