"Ah, what?!"
Lu Jun was struck dumb by the sudden joy, instantly realizing—good heavens, so this was how Awakening Spirit was supposed to be used.
It was like an idle leveling system, no effort required, cultivation rising automatically, while also hunting down soul remnants.
Tears welled up—too convenient!
Normally he had to keep his Metal Element hidden, and with the necessary activities in human society, he could only use the Metal Element alone in the wilderness to temper his magic.
Time was always insufficient. Thus, among his six elements, the Metal Element was the third to reach High-level, falling behind Summoning, Space, and Psychic.
But now, this flaw was fixed. From here on, he could entrust everything to Tai'a, leaving it to the Sword Spirit.
A few more hunts by the Tai'a Sword, and the Metal Element would probably break through to High-Tier Level 2.
Lu Jun was in high spirits as he left seclusion. From the living room came Mo Fan's exaggerated voice.
"Hahaha, Xuexue and I struck, and instantly cut down that foul grub that devoured the pseudo-dragon in Wuhai. So what if it turned into a dragon? In front of the great Mo Fan, whether dragon or worm, they all have to coil up obediently!"
Clearly, the three-man team had completed the Drowning Curse bounty and returned gloriously.
Now the entire city of hunters was in uproar. Guan Yu, Mu Tingying, Nan Rongni, and the others were filled with envy and jealousy. This wasn't just reputation—it was real, tangible profit.
Guan Yu muttered sourly, "Tch, just luck."
Unlike in the original timeline, Mo Fan was already far ahead. Now he had widened the gap even further. Guan Yu only dared grumble verbally, not truly confront him.
Lu Jun glanced around at everyone with a smile. "Since we're all here, let's move to the next destination."
Everyone's fighting spirit ignited, and they boarded a plane headed for Arabia in the Middle East.
Midway, Lu Jun's expression shifted. He received an urgent order from a national institute mentor, instructing them to head to the outskirts of the Sahara Secret Realm to rescue a team of national institute competitors who had fallen into danger.
It was a critical mission issued by the African Cape of Good Hope Fortress Magic Association.
"Sahara?!" Guan Yu's emotions surged. "Impossible, I won't go to that hellhole."
Mu Tingying's face also darkened. "Does the mentor want us dead?"
The Sahara was the largest desert in the world, and within it lay the Sahara Empire, countless times more terrifying than the Amazon or the Kunlun Empire.
This was because one of the three great Roofs of the World existed deep within the Sahara—a high-tier Emperor-level being, the ceiling of existence in the magical plane.
After venting their emotions, Lu Jun spoke calmly. "The African Magic Association has offered extremely rich resources. If we don't go, we lose the chance to share in the funding."
At that, Mo Fan's eyes lit up. Fearless as ever, and now desperately short on money, he needed funds to purchase Fire Seed, Lightning Seed, and even Shadow Element Dark Matter. The bounty from the Drowning Curse was far too little.
He decided to join enthusiastically.
Guan Yu's group sneered. With their family backing seeing they had survived two rounds without elimination, they were investing further. For them, the resources available around the Mediterranean were sufficient—they had no interest in the reckless gamble of exploring the Sahara Secret Realm.
Lu Jun exchanged a glance with Ai Jiangtu and nodded. "Then as usual—those who want to go and those who don't will act separately."
As for the Sahara, just wandering the outskirts actually intrigued him.
Long ago, in the Burning Plains, he had sworn boldly to transplant the Star Whisper Heaven Tree of the Flame Fairy clan into the Sahara, allowing Fire Element holy spirits to flourish—a boon for his future forces.
Now Lu Jun wanted to explore a little. With his trump cards, he didn't fear the outer edges.
In the end, it was the same group who had once explored the Peru Storm Ruins.
Seven people: Lu Jun as leader, Mo Fan, Nan Jue, Jiang Yu, Zhao Manyan, Zhang Xiaohou, and even Mu Ningxue, who had joined midway.
At the golden edge of the endless desert, the sands gleamed magnificently under the sun. Nan Jue proposed:
"The Sahara is terrifying for many reasons. One of them is the Secret Realm itself—a domain woven from Chaos, Space, and Psychic magic, enveloping the boundless territory. Anyone who steps in is at risk of being lost within."
"Its resistance is linked directly to cultivation. But no matter how powerful, the deeper you go, the easier it is to become lost."
"So I suggest the seven of us act like anchor points. Every stretch of distance, one person stays behind to hold position. We form a chain, a long dragon formation, step by step into the Sahara Secret Realm to search and rescue. How about it?"
Jiang Yu nodded in agreement. "I think that's best. It's the simplest, but also the safest method."
Hearing this, Lu Jun grew thoughtful. He actually knew the only flaw of this method—that the one at the tail end of the chain, the rope-holder, must nail themselves firmly in place.
Once they left without authorization, the entire extended section of the rope would collapse, all of them falling into the Sahara Realm.
Unfortunately, he knew that a Sand Fiend Spirit of the Earth Element was prowling nearby, something like Jiang Feng's kind of existence, with strength at the upper Commander-level.
Damn, that was no small matter. It was far stronger than Jiang Feng of the same clan. It would deliberately drive humans passing by into the Secret Realm using sandstorms—for example, the National Institute team that fell not long ago was precisely because of this. And with Nan Jue alone at the border, she would inevitably be harassed, forced to abandon her anchor point.
As for the reason behind this, it was to lure out Dai Wen, the rescuer from the African Magic Association.
Lu Jun stroked his chin, figuring this was another tale similar to Jiang Feng's.
The Sandstorm Wraith and the rescue team's Super Mage Dai Wen had once formed a bitter feud in the Sahara, and so forth.
He couldn't be bothered to meddle, but such a situation could not go unguarded. In terms of strength, Mo Fan's Little Flame Belle, after consuming the Time Liquid, could just barely wrestle with that Sandstorm Wraith.
As for the Mermaid Princess, once she consumed the Time Liquid, she might well be able to stand as an equal.
Therefore, Lu Jun did not intend to leave Nan Jue alone outside. He had the mermaid girl carry the Time Liquid to accompany her—double insurance.
If the Sandstorm Wraith intended to take lives, then use the Time Liquid to defend themselves.
If it only meant to drive them away, then save it, retreat decisively.
As for Lu Jun and the others pressing deeper into the Sahara, haha, there was nothing to fear.
He had several trump cards—among them the Time-Space Element capable of breaking the Secret Realm's dimensional anchoring; the Summoning Element's Level 4 Mid-Tier spell, Summoning Link, which ignored all prohibitions, binding hearts; and if all else failed, he could simply make a wish, the Imaginative Power of the Mind, that eternally useful ability.
Thus, facing Lu Jun's request to summon the Mermaid Holy Spirit to accompany her, Nan Jue nodded.
Jiang Yu was the most envious—for not every Summoning Mage could let their summoned creature stray far from their side. Besides the frailty of summoners who couldn't part from their beasts, there was also the restriction of cultivation.
The exception existed only in the innate talent of the Summoning Element.
"Everyone ready?"
Lu Jun turned back to the group and spoke, then took the lead, stepping into the golden desert.
At the boundary edge, Nan Jue and the unwilling mermaid girl stood together, the Water Element Holy Spirit always holding deep aversion toward arid and scorching regions.
Wooo—!
Before long, the six of them had successively set down anchor points, each stationed at intervals of one kilometer.
At last, it was Lu Jun's turn. As the strongest, he naturally charged to the very front, shouldering the most dangerous task.
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
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