Professor Yuan paused for a long moment, then finally spoke with a complicated tone, forcing the words out: "So fast, sometimes I really want to dissect your body and see what kind of freak you are."
Hearing this, Lu Jun shivered but forced a sheepish smile, realizing he had been too flamboyant and had provoked universal annoyance.
Compared with other acquaintances he knew—sister Lu Mei, Ding Yumian, Lu Weixi, these overpowered individuals, Professor Yuan, Qing Yu, Mu Nujiao, and other ordinary people had indeed made progress, even impressive progress, but it was clearly limited.
Professor Yuan had it the worst. Back in the second semester of his freshman year, he had first met Lu Jun when the latter had just entered High-Tier in three elements. In the blink of an eye, almost four years had passed, and Professor Yuan had only advanced to High Tier Full Mastery, just like Jun Yaojin.
Even though Professor Yuan had been distracted by academic research and hadn't focused on cultivation, the pace was genuinely slow.
Lu Jun sensed an opportunity and teased: "Are you missing the Starsea Vein? Why not come join me?"
"Forget it." Professor Yuan sneered. "My contributions are enough for the Imperial Capital Mage Association to grant me a Starsea Vein. I just haven't laid the foundation well enough to confidently ascend to Super Tier."
"Is that so?"
Lu Jun felt somewhat disappointed. He scanned the apprentices busily packing in the lab and asked in confusion, "You're…"
"Leaving." Professor Yuan said disinterestedly. "Those old folks in the Imperial Capital are too impatient. Now that the Magic City Water Circulation Grand Formation is completed, there's no reason for me to stay."
"Ah, I see." Lu Jun's mind raced. He couldn't bear to let such a talent slip away, and suddenly recalled an idea. Tentatively, he asked, "Then Professor Yuan, what are your next plans I mean, your research topics?"
Professor Yuan shook his head with a sigh: "I don't know. Maybe something regarding Sea Monsters, or perhaps improving my cultivation and attempting to break into Super Tier."
Lu Jun's eyes brightened slightly. "How about this, before, you studied the tidal talent solidifying my fascia and initially designed a nine-level blood-and-qi system. Now I've reached six levels, but that's thanks to breakthroughs, various rare materials, and fortuitous encounters, not self-advancement."
"I feel the Tidal Body Refinement method has limitless potential. It's the only method for external stimulus-driven improvement. Why not study it? And my Water Element recently underwent a transformation, it might even help you ascend to Super Tier…"
Lu Jun racked his brains, trying to lure Professor Yuan over to conduct research for him.
He was worried, his body and soul were critical for accommodating the four-element calamities, his mental faculties, and his armor, all closely tied to his foundational combat power. He didn't want a weak link like other forbidden spells.
His mental realm was fine; early Eighth Tier, eight-element magical improvement, naturally brushing against the Ninth Tier, perhaps even surpassing it.
Only his physical body lacked a path forward. Maybe he could passively ascend to Seventh Tier through the Metal Element's baptism, but what about Eighth and Ninth? He had to develop an effective method for improvement.
"All right! No problem."
Just as Lu Jun tried to further entice him, Professor Yuan, eyes burning with excitement, decisively agreed without a moment's hesitation.
"Huh?" Lu Jun was taken aback, his spine tingling. He suddenly recalled a saying: "High-level hunters often appear as prey." He pointed at Professor Yuan, speechless: "You…"
Professor Yuan's expression was meaningful, his eyes blazing with a look that seemed to want to dissect Lu Jun on the spot.
He didn't feel it shameful, as a senior, to follow Lu Jun's lead. With Lu Jun's Super Tier reputation, it was more than sufficient; ordinary people would have no objection.
Professor Yuan was impatient: "So, shall we start now?"
"Wait a moment." Lu Jun felt like he had lifted a rock only to drop it on his own foot. Hesitating, he said, "Let me finish my current matters. I need to go to the Ancient Capital first."
Lu Jun naturally had to go to the Ancient Capital—not only to investigate the Abyss and seek opportunities but also to establish a force and utilize local resources to create Star Dust magical artifacts.
Additionally, he was subtly concerned about the influence of the Water Element calamity. He had been in Magic City only a short while, yet the weather had shifted from clear skies to overcast, with rain imminent.
He could even be called the Rain God—wherever he walked, it rained. Too much water could easily cause flooding disasters, which would be problematic.
Meanwhile, in the arid regions of the Northwest, the vast soil-and-fire elements of the Taklamakan Desert suppressed the Water Element calamity, minimizing its impact. Perhaps the Ancient Capital would even welcome rainfall.
In Lu Jun's mind, a bold plan formed: control the Water Element calamity, harmonize the local feng shui and environment, and, when the time is right, reshape the Yellow River and restore the land and water conditions from thousands of years ago.
Back then, the Hexi Corridor was still verdant, and the Taklamakan wasn't yet a desert, apart from some arid zones, it was no different from the north.
At that moment, having secured Professor Yuan's agreement, Lu Jun left with a sense of satisfaction.
He didn't expect things to go so smoothly. He hoped finding Feng Zhoulong next would be just as easy.
Lu Jun was fairly confident but knew it depended on the circumstances.
Having just returned, he visited several old acquaintances, and the sky was gradually darkening.
Lu Jun was supposed to return to the Jinyuan Apartment to rest, but he had recently received his Excellent Graduate Certificate from Principal Xiao and served as a Pearl Academy Honorary Professor, allowing him to temporarily stay at the Academy, which provided a small villa.
Immediately, Lu Jun thought of Ding Yumian, feeling restless. As a professor, it seemed almost acceptable to apply certain… "unwritten rules" with female students.
So he stopped, naturally walking toward the direction of his mental perception.
As he walked, Lu Jun scolded himself, so beastly. He could only say he hated Mofan, understood Mofan, and became Mofan.
Achoo!
Meanwhile, not far from Magic City, in Feiniaoshi City…
Mofan sneezed inexplicably, muttering, "Which beauty is thinking of me now?"
"Forget it." Mofan shook his head. Standing before a tightly closed room door after being coldly rejected by Mu Ningxue, he awkwardly rubbed his nose and said,
"Word is that Lu Jun has returned. Tomorrow we'll head to Magic City. Maybe we can figure out a way to buy that land near Feiniaoshi City, close to Magic City, as a clan territory?"
Mu Ningxue's cold voice came from inside: "It's late. We'll discuss it tomorrow."
"Alright then."
Mofan opened his mouth but was intimidated by the vigilance of the goddess Mu, and slunk back to his room, tossing and turning all night without sleep.
Although he had experienced the heroic battle in Venice rescuing a beauty and had pried open Mu Ningxue's heart, fully savoring her charm was still far from reach.
At the same time, Lu Jun's progress was going smoothly, a stark contrast.
Lu Jun arrived at Ding Yumian's secluded villa and was delighted to find that the small villa gifted by the Academy was right beside it, simply perfect.
Then he saw Ding Yumian's room brightly lit. Spirit lifted, he sneaked inside.
In fact, Ding Yumian had long formed a real Psychic-domain illusion covering this area with her spiritual power. She couldn't have not noticed, this was tacit permission.
As Lu Jun stepped into her room, the outer Psychic barrier twisted slightly, revealing that the owner's mind was not at peace.
Ding Yumian sat on the bed, breathing rapidly. Her flowing white dress accentuated her full, graceful figure, the plain fabric taut, showing off her exquisite form perfectly.
"Yumian… it's getting late. I just got back and have nowhere to stay."
For additional chapters
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Fairy Tail{30 Chapters}
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