On the other side, in a conference room in Hangzhou.
Originally, Goat-Bearded Luo Mian and Full-Bearded Zhu Meng were waiting quietly, watching over Chief Arbiter Tang Zhong with a confident demeanor.
But it didn't take long before subordinates brought urgent reports one piece of bad news after another.
"Report! Tang Yue has entered Baishan, but she has support from another mage. According to investigations, it's Lu Jun, the Water Institute's chief from Pearl Academy."
"Guard Captain Wu Pingjing made a move suffered a crushing defeat."
"Deputy Guard Captain Liu Yuan and several other experts also went completely defeated."
"As of now… no information is coming out of Baishan. A complete information blackout has formed. It's confirmed no survivors."
Zhu Meng and Luo Mian's expressions turned from ugly to utterly shocked.
If it were just apprentice-level members, that would be one thing but the reports named individuals, and each of them was a formidable Advanced-level expert. All now fallen at the hands of a single student.
"Lu Jun, huh."
Zhu Meng's expression darkened. As a councilman, he was privy to internal affairs. Ever since Lu Jun advanced to the High Tier, someone high up had already earmarked him for the National Team.
Votes or no votes, it didn't matter anymore. Even the position of National Team Captain seemed subtly favored toward him.
He took a deep breath, knowing that stalling for this one hour had cost them any chance of retrieving Tang Yue's Black Serpent Totem.
Still, Zhu Meng decided to go in person.
If Tang Yue or Lu Jun had any conditions, he was willing to accept them.
Beside him, Luo Mian muttered upon hearing of Lu Jun's actions, "I miscalculated. Such a promising pillar of the nation… and he's fallen so far as to side with demons. I'll go with you."
In truth, Luo Mian felt uneasy. Now that the Totem Black Serpent had escaped, once its metamorphosis was complete and it returned, all of his schemes would crumble.
A Supreme Monarch-level Totem, something even Super Mages deeply feared. Only those at the so-called Forbidden Curse Threshold had a chance of resisting it. Ordinary Super Mages were nothing more than ants before such a creature.
Buzz… Buzz… Buzz…
The two councilmen exchanged glances. Before taking off, they left behind harsh words for Chief Arbiter Tang Zhong:
"If anything happens to Hangzhou, your deception will bear undeniable responsibility."
Watching the two councilmen disappear into the sky, Tang Zhong stood with hands behind his back, his expression conflicted and filled with worry.
In no time, Zhu Meng and Luo Mian arrived at Baishan. From afar, they saw within the forested mountain entrance a young man in a black-gold coat sitting cross-legged atop a protruding boulder, a three-foot black-gold dragon-patterned sword suspended between his knees.
Lu Jun radiated sharpness, his body coursing with Metal Element killing intent. Around him, over a hundred Judgement Council members lay fallen. His presence was overwhelming.
At that moment, he too sensed the two powerful auras arriving from the sky. Opening his eyes to gaze upward, he spoke calmly:
"Councilman Zhu Meng, it's been a while."
Zhu Meng's first reaction was to scan the surrounding Judgement Council members, including his Guard Captain Wu Pingjing. Seeing them mostly unharmed, his expression eased, and he let out a breath.
Upon hearing Lu Jun's words, Zhu Meng's tone turned heavy with disappointment:
"Lu Jun, what are you thinking? With such a promising future, why involve yourself in this matter?"
"Councilman Zhu," Lu Jun glanced at the goat-bearded elder beside him and replied flatly, "There's more to this than meets the eye. My people have already traced the source of the venom it's definitely not from the serpent. There is an antidote, and the illness is fully curable."
"They're on their way now. Until the witnesses and evidence arrive, I won't let the Black Serpent show itself."
As his words fell, Zhu Meng furrowed his brow, while Luo Mian's unease reached its peak. He immediately barked, attempting to apply pressure: "This concerns human lives! You've been bewitched by Tang Yue and don't even realize it!"
Lu Jun sneered. This old fox was getting desperate.
Just minutes ago, his sister Lu Mei and Leng Qing had called having arrived at the station, they were now rushing to the Weifang Blood Reagent Storage Facility.
As it happened, Deputy Chief Arbiter Wang Yi was secretly handling business there and was caught red-handed. The two women swiftly subdued a whole group with joint effort and were now bringing the reagents to a specialized testing agency.
They'd be arriving with their team any moment.
With the Black Totem Serpent now hiding deep within Baishan, no matter how chaotic things became, it remained a trump card. Once its transformation was complete, it would emerge and sweep away all enemies victory was certain.
Lu Jun grew even more composed and unshaken. He didn't take Luo Mian seriously, and instead turned to Zhu Meng with meaningful intent and said:
"Why don't you think harder? Luo Mian, who originally aligned himself with the Black Serpent guardians, suddenly defected to your side."
"What's his motive? Why is he more eager than you to destroy the Black Serpent?"
Hearing this, Zhu Meng opened his mouth but then shut it again. His expression darkened as he glanced at Luo Mian, unintentionally.
Lu Jun's words struck a chord. Initially, he'd believed Luo Mian switched allegiances simply to mount an intense political attack on the Totem Guardian Faction perhaps driven by personal ambition to seize power.
After all, with Tang Zhong falling, Luo Mian would reign unopposed in the region a strong enough motive.
But now, Lu Jun's words suggested a hidden agenda.
Zhu Meng had investigated Luo Mian beforehand greedy for wealth, certainly but honestly, that was nothing new in the magical world. So long as someone didn't back the wrong side or cross the red line, a Super Mage could get away with almost anything.
That's why he hadn't minded. It was also why he adopted a "don't question the means" attitude.
He was willing to tolerate some gray areas, even compromises, in pursuit of greater justice.
That wasn't weakness or corruption it was realism. Even the noblest ideals couldn't be eaten. Push people too hard, and resistance would arise, obstructing practical solutions.
Sometimes, adapting with the times was necessary as long as the core bottom line wasn't crossed.
But now, Zhu Meng had a bad feeling.
He feared Luo Mian had kept secrets that would force him to reevaluate even his bottom line.
Luo Mian grew anxious. Gritting his teeth, he decided to strike first and explain later he couldn't let Lu Jun keep talking. Only the dead couldn't speak.
With a righteous face, Luo Mian declared: "Don't slander me with false accusations. You're on the brink of death and still trying to sow discord between us!"
Trying to lower Lu Jun's guard with words, the goat-bearded elder then made his move. His eyes flickered with black and red light as a Dark Evil Spider Trap spell descended—a massive black-red web of death falling from above.
With a Super Mage's mastery of magic, the spell's power already matched peak High Tier.
It came too suddenly but Lu Jun was already prepared. The shadow beneath him squirmed, and a beast resembling both deer and lion stepped forth, carrying its master away into the shadows vanishing far off in an instant.
"Cheap tricks daring to show off your skills in front of me?"
Luo Mian was first startled, then immediately reacted. As a Darkness Master, it was easy for him to interrupt a Shadow Escape.
But Zhu Meng struck.
A bolt of lightning as thick as a flood dragon thundered down from above, slamming toward Luo Mian without mercy. Accompanied by a thunderous shout:
"Luo Mian! What do you think you're doing?!"
The goat-bearded Luo Mian had to dodge in haste, unable to pursue Lu Jun. Seeing the fury on Zhu Meng's face, he felt a sinking sensation his ally now harbored doubt.
To make matters worse, Lu Jun having escaped to the side called out mockingly:
"You're panicking! He's panicking! Only someone with something to hide would be so afraid of me speaking!"
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