A few days passed, and the matter involving Yu Ang was resolved.
However, in the streets of the Magic City, various versions of the story began to spread. Fortunately, the Inquisition stepped in and provided an official explanation, calming the public.
The incident only caused a small ripple online, with only a few people analyzing some blurry videos and speculating.
"Hey, isn't this mage who killed members of the Black Vatican the same person from Bo City? Looks similar."
"I heard he's a new student at Pearl University. A real butcher—ruthless! Didn't know that."
Unfortunately, even with some discussion, it didn't stir up much of a wave. Within a few weeks, the heat from the Battle of Bo City had subsided. Of course, the people of the Nine Provinces wouldn't forget this event. When the topic is brought up again at some point in the future, memories will quickly resurface.
Lu Jun soon received funding from the city government—a total of 50 million yuan. Adding his previous savings of 20 million yuan, he realized he was not far from obtaining the Galaxy Vein.
Indeed, in a world of magic, targeting the Black Vatican was the quickest way to make money.
Even Lu Mei was shocked, openly stating that even if he managed to gather enough resources, he should still refine and hone himself further. After all, the Galaxy Vein was not a guaranteed breakthrough. It was best to reach a critical point before attempting it.
Subsequently, Lu Jun packed up the Cursed Pool and brought it to Pearl University, hoping to rely on Dean Xiao to find someone to handle it. At the same time, he felt it was time to search for suitable metal magic.
In the academy office, Dean Xiao adjusted his glasses and smiled warmly. "I've heard about your deeds. Be careful. Although you haven't officially joined the university, I still want to say this—Pearl is proud of you."
Lu Jun, feeling flattered, replied, "Thank you for your praise, Dean Xiao."
"Hahaha, no need to be so reserved. I'll have someone process your cursed material. It should be ready within a week at most," Dean Xiao said with a smile.
"Oh, and thanks for inspiring the students of Pearl University," he added jokingly.
Hearing this, Lu Jun's forehead twitched. He had already joined several Pearl University group chats and forums, where he saw titles like "Lu the Butcher" being promoted. It made him feel utterly embarrassed. He would've preferred the nickname "Sword Immortal Lu."
He hadn't even officially enrolled at Pearl University, yet the students had already memorized his appearance and treated him as a dangerous adversary.
"All right, wait for the good news," Dean Xiao concluded.
Lu Jun left the academy and returned home. Both he and his sister focused on training diligently. After the recent events, neither of them dared to move around recklessly before the start of the semester. They decided to wait until the heat died down before taking action again.
Their monster-hunting operations were temporarily halted, though they continued gathering intelligence.
Not long after, someone from the academy delivered a sealed glass container to Lu Jun, explaining its use.
"Cursed Material: [Curse Mark]!"
Holding the container, Lu Jun observed the dark green, ominous mist swirling inside, pulsating as though it had a life of its own.
Dark materials and cursed substances were somewhat similar to contract beasts, except they lacked sentience and behaved like instinct-driven microorganisms. They bonded with a mage through magic and grew alongside them.
The effect of [Curse Mark] was straightforward and brutal: any enemy hit by a curse spell would be marked. If the target didn't immediately use magic energy to erase the mark, it would deepen over time.
During this process, the victim's body would be corroded by the curse, enduring increasing pain and ongoing damage. Once the mark accumulated to a certain extent, Lu Jun could choose to detonate it, dealing massive physical and soul damage.
Even if the target didn't die, they would suffer severe aftereffects, such as widespread necrosis, shortened lifespan, or deformed limbs.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Isn't this cursed material even stronger than a top-tier spirit seed? My previously lackluster Fear Mist spell finally has a significant use. Plus, every curse spell accelerates the deepening of the 'Curse Mark,'" Lu Jun mused, delighted by the potential of his newfound power.
Moreover, this was just with the Fear Mist. The mid-tier spell, Evil Spider Trap, was even more terrifying—capable of marking multiple targets, providing wide-area control, and dealing dual damage to both the soul and body.
Even if the enemies managed to escape, they would still face a final killing blow.
Without delay, Lu Jun went into seclusion to train with his curse material.
Nearby, Lu Mei glanced at him, smiled faintly, and decided not to disturb him.
Inside his room, Lu Jun opened the container, and a wisp of dark green mist rose, smoothly flowing into his spiritual world. It carried an overwhelming, ominous curse energy.
Immersed in his training, the black-and-red stardust of his curse element suddenly merged with the dark green mist, rapidly expanding and infecting the seven stars. With powerful energy, it began to corrode the barrier between tiers.
One point… two points… three points… The barrier became increasingly fragile.
Finally, with a slight push, the barrier shattered completely.
Boom!
The stardust expanded like an inflating balloon, quickly growing seven to eight times its original size. The seven stars transformed into forty-nine stars in an instant.
Lu Jun had advanced his curse element to mid-tier!
A foreboding aura emanated from his body. His skin became slightly pale, and when he opened his eyes, they reflected dark green streams of cursed material, flowing like locked-away sentient beings.
Chilling energy filled the room, turning it into a ghostly chamber shrouded in eerie green light.
Raising his left hand, intricate dark green patterns spread across his pale wrist, representing the presence of [Curse Mark].
"Dark magic—a burden of curses used to wield curses," Lu Jun muttered to himself.
Using the Curse Mark had slight side effects, causing minor corrosion to his own body. However, the curse wasn't particularly aggressive, and the cost was negligible. His water element's Tide Spirit Seed also provided physical enhancement, helping him resist most of the negative effects.
Lu Jun recalled the teachings of Zhan Kong: curse magic relied on mental strength. It wasn't meant to confront mages directly but to overcome the burden of curses upon oneself.
The stronger the curses one bore, the stronger the curse mage became.
Legend spoke of various curses:
Scarecrow Curse: A curse mage inflicting harm on themselves would reflect greater harm onto their enemies.
Vampire Curse: While fearing holy light, the user gained enhanced physical strength.
Ghost Curse: The user became a spirit existing in reality—immortal but invisible to others.
Pharaoh's Curse: The user transformed into a mummy, achieving eternal life at the cost of their humanity.
Even the Zu Family's Curse Possession technique was essentially a form of curse. Similar to the Northeast region's Ma Family spirit channeling, it involved inviting spirits to possess oneself, treading the line between good and evil.
The cost of Curse Possession was relatively low among powerful curses, provided the user's mental strength was sufficient to control the beast souls and suppress their animalistic nature. This ability allowed the Zu Family to dominate, though inadequately trained members often exhibited erratic behavior.
By comparison, Lu Jun's Curse Mark seemed trivial. Its power far surpassed his peers but was still inferior to experienced mages in society.
Nevertheless, he was content.
[For additional chapters....
Versatile mage {40 chapters}
Douluo Dalu:This Soul Master is to Weird {30 Chapters}
Patreon. Com/ALLISWELL123]
Also can you guys a leave Review and maybe few Power Stones