On the stage, Mo Fan also noticed Lu Jun. Seeing the latter leave so decisively, he felt grateful but also a bit exasperated.
Who knew what kind of trouble awaited him at Pearl Institute?
Just as he was about to make his mark, he looked around and realized that all the prestige had already been stolen by Lu Jun. Every ranking and legendary feat had Lu Jun's name plastered all over it.
The hearts of the academy's girls were filled with thoughts of Lu Jun, and even the male students admired him wholeheartedly.
Only after his roommate Zhao Manting explained did Mo Fan finally understand the meaning of Chief.
In an instant, he felt the immense pressure—his peers had left him far behind, and he had no choice but to work even harder.
However, when faced with such a gap, Mo Fan didn't feel envious. He simply saw it as motivation to chase after. Other people's rise was their own ability, and he had his own path to follow.
Meanwhile, Lu Jun continued toward Dean Xiao's office.
Even though Mo Fan no longer had Rose Flame, he hadn't even needed to use his Fire Element to defeat the two hundred freshmen. Just his Lightning and Summoning Elements were enough to sweep through them.
Lu Jun didn't have to concern himself with that. With the Little Loach Pendant in Mo Fan's possession, acquiring a Fire Element Spirit Seed was just a matter of time.
Soon, Lu Jun arrived at his teacher's office and, through an internal channel, purchased a Star River Vein.
In an instant, his account balance dropped to zero—100 million gone in a flash, returning him to absolute poverty.
The pain was excruciating, but to ensure a successful breakthrough, he used up his seven-day Three-Step Tower training opportunity and went into seclusion to advance.
After a few days, the Star River Vein arrived—a delicate wooden box containing a crystal-clear star diamond the size of a pebble, pulsating with an immense energy.
Without hesitation, Lu Jun stepped into the Three-Step Tower.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
At that moment, a vast energy gathered in the void, and pure blue Water Element energy poured down.
Sitting cross-legged, Lu Jun bathed in the shimmering light, holding the Star Diamond to absorb its pure magical energy. At the same time, his thoughts delved into the White Tiger Pendant, drawing out the stored Soul Remnants, which surged into his Azure Star Cloud.
Clusters of deep blue flames ignited within the Star Cloud, transforming into a mystical force that nourished his forty-nine Stars.
Only the seven Core Stars at the center remained unmoved, standing tall like unshakable mountains, not needing this energy.
Eight Servant-Class Soul Remnants refined eight stars… A Warrior-Class Soul Remnant tempered ten stars in one go… As for the Commander-Class Soul Remnant, it was the most powerful, refining the remaining twenty-four stars to perfection.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of Stars expanded like popping corn—all forty-nine stars in the Azure Star Cloud ascended to the fourth level, with forty-two of them growing significantly larger than before.
The entire Azure Water Star Cloud roared turbulently, expanding outward by several layers.
Water Element Mid-Tier Level 4—"Violent Waves: Heavenly River's Breach"!
With a deafening boom, a thick transparent barrier appeared at the edges of the Star Cloud, gradually thinning—this was the High-Tier Bottleneck!
At the same time, Lu Jun felt an epiphany—his Star River Vein melted in his palm, and a surge of energy rushed into the Star Cloud, forcefully battering the barrier.
Rumble!
Lu Jun remained seated, his entire body enveloped in a luminous glow. The Water Element's magic power surged around him, forming a deep, swirling vortex. Inside his body, a tremendous rumbling echoed.
Finally, under the combined force of three elements, the High-Tier Bottleneck shattered effortlessly.
The next moment, he stood up and let out a long roar. An azure radiance soared skyward—the Water Vortex coiled like a Water Jiao Dragon, then suddenly leaped, soaring into the void before dispersing into a vast, celestial Lake of Auspicious Clouds.
Lu Jun's presence became imposing, his windbreaker billowing as a mighty aura surged from him. Inside his Spiritual World, the Water Nebula shattered, sending waves of soul-wrenching pain through him, but his powerful will suppressed it.
Soon, the Nebula transformed into a Star River—a grand and magnificent Azure Heavenly River flowing through the vast darkness of his consciousness. The water was condensed, its waves sparkling like an endless Azure True Dragon swimming through the void.
The Water Elemental Starlight stretched across the cosmic expanse, appearing incomparably grand.
A total of 343 Stars densely populated the Azure Star River, flickering and traversing in intricate patterns.
Among them, 49 Stars shone the brightest, radiating with unparalleled brilliance and vitality—these were the forty-nine fully enhanced Level-4 Stars. The remaining 294 Stars were still in their infancy, emitting only a faint glow.
Water Element: High-Tier Level 1—Achieved!
Lu Jun opened his eyes, surrounded by a thick, misty water aura, which outlined a majestic Constellation Projection composed of 343 nodes, merging into seven great Star Maps.
If he could fully inscribe this Constellation, he would be able to unleash the High-Tier Level 1 Flower Sky: Heaven's Water Curtain—the most powerful defensive spell at High Tier.
Satisfied, he nodded.
From now on, his turtle shell was officially complete—Water Defense, Shield Magic Equipment, Black-Gold Dragon Pattern Sword, and now Heaven's Water Curtain. He no longer needed Professor Xuan to assist him—he could tank Commander-level demons all on his own!
Inside his Spiritual World, the grand Star River dominated the center, while the Platinum Nebula, Dark Green Nebula, and Transparent Nebula cautiously surrounded it in reverence.
Lu Jun carefully comprehended his advancements and realized that although his Spiritual Will had been nourished during his High-Tier Breakthrough, it still lacked the strength to reach the Fourth Realm: Mid-Realm, lingering between Third and Fourth Realm.
This was expected—after all, High-Tier spells weren't centered on mental power. Even Mo Fan, despite his relentless effort in multiple High-Tier elements, had only reached the Second Realm's late stage.
Apart from that, Lu Jun's most noticeable improvement was his increased elemental control. With the Tidal Spirit Seed, Fourth-Level Violet Waves, and Water-Repelling Bead, his destructive power had risen dramatically, and his ability to manipulate water spells had greatly expanded.
Now, he had to slowly explore new techniques like Mist, Mirroring, and other advanced Water Magic skills, ultimately refining them into a Water Domain.
"Of course… there's also my physical body. Am I reaching the Qi and Blood Realm Professor Xuan mentioned?"
Lu Jun murmured to himself, examining the transformation within his body.
The surging Water Element Magic cascaded down from his Spiritual World, cleansing every inch of his body—muscles, blood, and internal organs, making them even more refined and robust.
Most notably, his white tendinous membrane had thickened, now tinged with a faint crimson hue, exuding an indestructible toughness akin to steel.
Buzz! Buzz!
Suddenly, he clenched his fist, veins bulging as he exerted force. His vital energy and blood surged rapidly, flowing through his veins like a great river. His muscles tightened into solid masses, as if an immense dormant power was awakening within him.
Countless threads of blood energy gathered on Lu Jun's skin, forming a layer of amber-like radiance that rippled outward. A fierce and violent aura erupted from his body, exuding overwhelming killing intent, making him appear like a savage beast.
However, the state did not last long. He quickly deflated like a leaking balloon, his muscles relaxing back to normal.
"The Qi and Blood Realm… I barely reached the minimum threshold of a Warrior-level demon's physical body. By harnessing Qi and blood energy, I can achieve effects similar to demon physique magic techniques."
Lu Jun was surprised. He had slain countless demons before, and even the lowest-bloodline minions undergoing advancement could crudely utilize some form of physical demon techniques.
These techniques were purely formed through Qi and blood energy, appearing in a sinister blood-ink hue.
Now, he possessed a similar ability, though his energy was purer and more vibrant in color, albeit still lacking in duration.
Lu Jun recalled Mo Fan's later-stage development, where the Demon Element granted him an immense boost. Whenever he entered a rage state, his pupils and physique would be enveloped in a blood-ink color—most likely a manifestation of entering the Qi and Blood Realm.