The Fierce Battle Between Water and Fire / Spiritual Realm Two, Intermediate Mind Element ...

Chapter 73: The Fierce Battle Between Water and Fire

Upon hearing that name, Lu Jun sucked in a cold breath. Ding Yumian—she was famous.

How unlucky was he that she was in the same year as him?

Before the Beast Fighting Competition, he had not investigated his opponents. He had treated everyone in the world as beneath notice, and in truth, that had been justified. Who could have expected Ding Yumian to appear? If he had known she was here, Lu Jun absolutely would not have arrogantly challenged the entire school.

As for why he was so wary of her, the identity of a Mind Element Calamity Bringer explained everything.

Ding Yumian was unlike Mu Ningxue, who evolved gradually. She had been born at her peak, with a Spiritual World at the sixth realm at the very least. On top of that, she possessed the most bizarre and unpredictable Mind Element.

It was said that whenever her emotions fluctuated as a child, everyone in the entire school would be affected. Once she developed suicidal thoughts, anyone nearby who was caught up in it would kill themselves without hesitation.

She had even caused a disaster before, after which Dean Xiao arrived and took her away. She had been hidden and protected at Mingzhu University ever since, secretly cultivated while learning to control her emotions. Only a handful of people knew the truth.

Lu Jun thought for a moment and more or less understood. Ding Yumian was young, yet two years later she would become the tenth-ranked expert on the Main Campus's Flame Ranking. She had entered school one year after Mo Fan, which happened to make her Lu Jun's classmate.

His lips curled bitterly. Setting aside her Mind Element, which was suspected to have already reached the peak of the Intermediate Level, her second element, the Fire Element, was equally powerful. Her Innate Talent doubled her attack range, which she used to conceal her Mind Element talent. Her combat strength could not be underestimated.

If Lu Jun could unleash his Metal Element completely, he might be able to defeat her. But with so many people watching him, he might expose himself. For now, he could not use it.

Of course, the same applied to her. The identity of a Mind Element Calamity Bringer could not be exposed, so they were evenly matched in that regard.

Ding Yumian did not attack immediately. Instead, she gently allowed Lu Jun to recover to his peak condition. This earned her the audience's favor in the livestream. There was no denying that her beautiful face had gained a huge boost in impression.

"Wonderful. Those people earlier only wanted to take advantage of others' weakness. They had none of Mingzhu University's bearing—nothing but scheming."

"Wow, this female mage has such a wonderful air about her. As expected, beautiful people are kindhearted too."

"Wife! Kisses and hugs, mua!"

"Knowing Heaven's will is easy; defying Heaven's will is difficult!"

Seeing this, Lu Jun was genuinely moved. Ding Yumian was probably a very gentle person. Her fate in the original story was too painful. She had been deceived and exploited by certain corrupt individuals, and had used suicide to resist the Demon Beasts.

In the end, for the sake of Magic City's safety, she chose death and temporarily repelled the Sea Demon Empire's invasion with a spiritual nuclear bomb.

They had forcibly turned a seed with the potential to reach the peak of a Mind Element Forbidden Curse into a disposable tool. Once it was over, they had even manipulated public opinion and claimed all the credit for themselves.

Just look at the situation. With people like Zhan Kong and Mo Fan around, how could Lu Jun not work hard to protect himself?

On the Beast Fighting Arena, Lu Jun fell silent as he calculated inwardly. Then he said calmly, "Thank you for your kindness, but I said that I would defeat all of them. Since I want to seize their resources, I'll do it openly and honorably. I won't let anyone else represent them—I'll defeat every one of them myself. I won't take shortcuts."

"If I'm defeated, I'll accept the loss."

As soon as he said this, the livestream erupted, and even the freshmen in the stands felt admiration for him.

"What a load of stupid nonsense. He should be willing to use any means necessary... But why do I envy someone like this so much? I guess it's because I could never do it myself."

"Stop talking. Lu Jun's a real man."

"It's over. This is obviously a resource competition, but I can't bring myself to hate him."

Ding Yumian stared blankly at the man before her with the sword. Her heart stirred as she wondered whether she had made the wrong choice. Someone like him seemed to deserve victory.

In the end, she became serious. Since they were standing on the arena, she would go all out. That was the highest respect she could show a competitor.

"Then be careful. Fierce Fist Breaker!"

Ding Yumian warned him before controlling her Star Chart. She did not even need to cast the elementary Mind Element spell Mind Wall on herself. Her powerful Spiritual World could easily withstand the Fearful Haze.

Immediately afterward, she successfully struck out with her fist. Her clothes fluttered violently as her quiet beauty transformed into the bold and domineering Flame Queen. Crimson flames swirled around her body.

A vast fan-shaped sea of fire erupted with her as its center. The immense tide of flames soared into the sky, its coverage almost comparable to the Water Element's Storm Wave.

At that moment, Ding Yumian found something strange. Her Spiritual World was calm and undisturbed, without the slightest ripple. Why was her opponent not using the power of the Curse Element?

Soon, she saw the sky-blue radiance soaring behind him. A blue Tide three times larger than her flames surged toward her.

Intermediate Water Element—Tide Wave! It even carried a Spirit Seed!

In the stands and across the livestream, the audience was stunned. The sight before them was spectacular. The two of them each occupied half the arena, water and fire interweaving—one side blazing and dry, glowing scarlet, the other moist with vapor and shimmering blue.

"Holy crap, this is real magic! The power of destruction! Those five hundred people who were defeated earlier were just playing house!"

"So powerful. It's on a completely different level from an Elementary Mage."

As everyone discussed it, the water and fire waves on the arena had already collided, and the roar shook the heavens.

Ssssss!

The blue river and scarlet sea of fire overlapped, triggering an intense reaction. Vast amounts of faintly red steam rose as white fog filled the sky and obscured the entire Beast Fighting Arena. Fortunately, the barrier protected the spectators; otherwise, the steam would have severely scalded the skin of those in the front rows.

However, in the clash between the two, Lu Jun's Storm Wave still had the upper hand. It visibly swallowed the continuous scarlet flames, and the surging tide, carrying the remaining steam, continued rushing toward Ding Yumian.

It was ultimately a Spirit Seed. An ordinary Innate Talent could not compare.

Ding Yumian frowned and quickly controlled her Star Tracks. She released three Fire Seeds in succession. With the support of her talent, she barely dissolved the water directly in front of her. Even so, her body was washed by the blue spirit water, and some of the magic energy in her Fire and Mind Elements was drained away.

She felt a wave of fatigue. Her clothes were soaked, and water flowed down her graceful figure. Her damp silk dress clung tightly to her curvaceous body, outlining her beautiful figure. Her long, full legs were tightly wrapped, while the fabric over her chest became translucent, revealing the faint outlines beneath.

Unfortunately, no one could see this beautiful sight. Blindingly hot white steam still surrounded her, concealing her alluring figure.

Seeing this, Ding Yumian's face grew hot. She ignited scarlet flames and evaporated the moisture from her clothes, causing the beautiful sight to vanish in an instant.

But before she could relax, her mind suddenly jolted. She sensed a man's figure standing in the white fog before her. Lu Jun held his sword in a striking pose, yet stared blankly at her with no follow-up attack.

At that moment, Ding Yumian's head nearly exploded. Recalling what she had just looked like, her face flushed red. She had... she had actually been seen completely naked by someone. Her mind was thrown into extreme turmoil.

The moment her emotions fluctuated, the Mind Element power she had worked so hard to control leaked out.

Before Lu Jun could say anything, he felt a vast, boundless Mental Power surging toward him, and his expression changed dramatically.

Chapter 74: Spiritual Realm Two, Intermediate Mind Element

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

Ding Yumian stared blankly with her eyes wide open. Her forehead glowed as her black hair fluttered. Her toes lightly left the ground by three feet, her clothes drifting around her. Endless waves of the Mind Element surged outward, distorting the surrounding air and forcing back the scorching white fog, revealing a vacuum around her.

Lu Jun bore the brunt of it. He endured most of the pressure, and his vision instantly went black. Even after mobilizing his Curse Nebula and Mind Stardust together and condensing his thoughts into a wall, it was still shattered effortlessly.

Creak, creak!

Lu Jun's tall figure slowly bent, as if he were about to kneel. His head buzzed, and even the floor around him began to crack slightly.

He truly felt the terror of a Calamity Bringer. They were both the same age, yet her cultivation and strength left him far behind. When Mo Fan challenged Ding Yumian in the future, she had definitely held back. She had barely used her Mind Element at all.

Gradually, Lu Jun's consciousness blurred. His face flushed red, as if he had fallen into an emotional resonance.

He was about to be assimilated by Ding Yumian's Mind Element.

"Get lost!" Suddenly, intense unwillingness erupted from within him. The Metal Element Nebula and Water Element Nebula in his Spiritual World both began to exert their power. Under the heavy pressure, his entire essence, energy, and spirit seemed to be tempered until they grew sharper and sharper.

He had walked out of Bo City, slain Demon Beasts and evil spirits, hunted the Black Vatican, and fought five hundred people. Through all the storms he had weathered, in what way was he inferior to his peers?

Lu Jun's will was firm as iron and steel. The momentum he had built after sweeping through the freshmen for several hours surged upward. As his thoughts steadied, a crystalline flying sword at the center of his Mind Element rose into the sky under the external tempering and slashed toward the unseen crystal wall. The already unstable barrier shattered.

Pop! A crisp sound echoed through his mind.

The next moment, a field of translucent Stardust broke through the barrier in Lu Jun's Spiritual World and rapidly expanded. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a vast Nebula, with forty-nine stars glittering brilliantly.

Intermediate Mind Element! Spiritual Realm Two!

For a time, four Nebulas shone together in the pitch-black cosmos. White-gold, blue, dark green, and transparent colors intertwined, making the universe especially splendid, as if countless living things were multiplying within it.

That was right. Relying on the powerful feedback accompanying the Mind Element's breakthrough into a Nebula, Lu Jun's thoughts expanded and finally broke through the peak of the First Realm, which he had been stuck at for so long, reaching the Second Realm. His consciousness suddenly became much clearer.

The increase was equivalent to possessing a Spirit Seed twice over. The Curse Element already possessed a Curse Mark, making it even more terrifying now. The same applied to his Mind Element. With his self-created Mind Sword, he might even be able to inflict high-level spiritual trauma.

Of course, although he was delighted by his cultivation breakthrough and the fact that he now possessed four Intermediate Elements, his most urgent task was still to wake Ding Yumian.

The waves of Mental Power coming from her grew stronger one after another. Now that Lu Jun had broken through, he could resist them slightly, but once they reached a certain level, he would eventually fall again.

Thus, he gritted his teeth and endured the rings of transparent, distorted waves spreading around him. With difficulty, he walked up to Ding Yumian and stared at the tall beauty with straight black hair. He struggled to raise a hand and pat her shoulder. Even through the layer of clothing, the contact seemed to reveal the smooth softness of her skin.

At the same time, Lu Jun transmitted his words into her Spiritual World: "Quickly, control your emotions."

Those words awakened Ding Yumian. The vast Mental Power filling the sky immediately withdrew, and her floating body fell. She staggered and leaned against Lu Jun's solid shoulder.

A moment later, the two of them, who had nearly embraced, separated. Ding Yumian retreated several steps as if frightened, but she did not lose control again. Her face flushed as she said softly, "I'm sorry. I nearly hurt you. I really didn't mean to."

Lu Jun felt the heavy pressure in his mind recede like a tide and clearly relaxed. He looked deeply at her and said, "Your Mind Element is a little terrifying."

Hearing this, Ding Yumian grew nervous. Her secret had been discovered. Dean Xiao had instructed her never to let it leak, or the consequences would be dire.

Unexpectedly, Lu Jun seemed to understand her worry completely. He curved his lips into a smile. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Besides, you know my secret too."

"We both have leverage over each other."

Lu Jun was afraid she might lose control again, so he hurriedly reassured her. Although he really wanted to make a joke about it—"Ding Yumian, you wouldn't want the highest authority, the Holy Court, to find out that you're a Mind Element Calamity Bringer, would you?"

Only then did Ding Yumian remember that Lu Jun had just resisted with a Mind Element spell. Combined with the Curse and Water Elements he already possessed, that made three elements in total. This was clearly abnormal.

Ding Yumian finally relaxed, though her face remained flushed. Too many strange things had happened today. Her body had been exposed, her secret had been discovered, and the two of them had even hugged. This was too much!

In such a short time, she had established a relatively close connection with an unfamiliar man. She was not used to it.

Her quiet, slow-to-warm nature made her feel exhausted in both body and mind after encountering such a situation without warning. She only wanted some peace, so she took a deep breath and said, "This was my fault. I concede. We'll talk later."

"Okay." Lu Jun was stunned for a moment before nodding in agreement. He pondered inwardly as he recalled the spiritual pressure from earlier. He had always been troubled by the lack of a way to temper his Mental Power and had been unable to improve it proactively.

Many mages of the Mind Element, Curse Element, and Dimensional Magic experienced long-term battles and only broke through naturally as their cultivation increased. Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that offered shortcuts were far too rare.

But now, it seemed that a Mind Element Calamity Bringer was the best whetstone of all.

At that moment, the white fog around them slowly dispersed. In truth, the clash between the two had lasted only a very short time.

Outside, because the Beast Fighting Arena was covered in white fog, no one could see what was happening inside. The spectators began discussing it animatedly.

"I didn't expect that! Besides his powerful Curse Element, Lu Jun is hiding another element. Was that a Spirit Seed? His Water Element is three times stronger than an ordinary mage's!"

"He's only a freshman, yet both of his elements are at the first level of the Intermediate Level, and he's cultivated them so powerfully. Add that super Magic Tool, and who among his peers can stand against him?"

"A Spirit Seed! Many senior students on the Main Campus don't even have one."

"Wait, you're all seriously discussing the battle? Am I the only one shipping them?"

"Sister, I'm shipping them too. A handsome man and a beautiful woman—the former is confident and forthright, while the latter is gentle and considerate. They're practically a perfect match, a couple made in heaven."

"Hehehe, what I want to say is that red and blue have always been a popular pairing. They're also water and fire, inherently incompatible. With a little imagination, that's a million-word novel right there."

"You little red-book harlots, get lost! Don't turn this place into a hair salon."

"How unlucky. I was enjoying a mage battle, and these women are showing off again."

Once the mist dispersed, everyone saw Lu Jun holding his sword against Ding Yumian's neck. The female mage had chosen to concede.

The students sighed. They were not surprised, but soon grew excited. "Don't panic. At least we forced out his Intermediate Water Element. Dongfang Ming and Ding Yumian clearly wore Lu Jun down. Everyone, keep charging!"

Lu Jun watched Ding Yumian's graceful back as she walked off the stage. He looked inward at his Spiritual World, where four Nebulas floated. With his Mind Element upgraded to the Intermediate Level, the magic energy he possessed allowed him to use Mind Impact at least a hundred times to interrupt a mage's Star Track.

This immediately gave him enormous help in challenging all the freshmen alone.

On the arena, Lu Jun looked down at the stands and said calmly, "Next."

Chapter 75: A Whole Night of Fierce Combat—A True Man

After Ding Yumian left the stage, her emotions quickly returned to normal. She cast several Mind Element calming spells on herself and barely restrained her vast Mental Power.

Her close friend Huang Xingli had noticed nothing unusual. She only said regretfully, "Even you couldn't defeat him? It seems that besides his Curse Element, his Water Element is equally powerful."

The hundred people waiting backstage had basically all been defeated. After that, Lu Jun swept forward like a broken bamboo, with no opponent capable of stopping him. One after another, they took the stage and were eliminated with a single move.

Six hundred... seven hundred... eight hundred... one thousand!

Several more hours passed. The evening sky had just darkened when it gradually became the early hours of the morning. Even office workers were preparing to go to bed, while many people in the livestream simply left it running and glanced at it occasionally.

The comments continued to trickle in without pause. The spectators amused themselves, even placing bets on how long he could keep fighting.

"Ten hours already! His stamina is monstrous. Whichever girl marries him will be blessed."

"Damn, that's incredible. I'm completely convinced. Someone like this deserves to enter Mingzhu University and deserves to shine for the rest of his life."

The freshmen in the stands had grown numb. They saw that Lu Jun on the stage was already panting heavily. He had stopped using his sword, yet by simply standing still and relying on Mind Impact, he had knocked dozens of consecutive Elementary Mages unconscious.

With his Spiritual Realm reaching the Second Realm, both the Mind Element's Mind Impact and the Curse Element's Fearful Haze had risen sharply in power.

Once one round of mental exertion was nearly depleted, his physical strength had also recovered to roughly the same degree. He would stand back up like a new man, raise his sword, and continue hacking away, eliminating his opponents with overwhelming force.