Chapter 81: The External Plug-In Comes Online

Ding Yumian's words carried an undertone that sent shivers down one's spine.

The reason humans are considered intelligent beings lies in the awakening of self-awareness. If someone could freely browse through the darkest and most disgraceful corners of your memories and control your consciousness, it would undoubtedly be the greatest fear imaginable.

Life and death pale in comparison.

Even Lu Jun's psychic element could only serve as a safeguard at best. It could not completely prevent the invasion of one's memories unless cultivated to an extremely high level of mastery.

Not to mention the infamous Holy City. For defectors targeted by the Five Great Magic Associations and the Inquisition Court, there was no escape from judgment.

These entities represented the supreme will of the entire human race.

Any rational individual, upon learning this, would instinctively stay far away.

Yet, Lu Jun merely smiled, his demeanor calm and composed as he said, "What if I'm destined to end up on the Holy City's Inquisition Court blacklist? I'm dual-element at every tier and have an unusual magic element."

He didn't reveal the existence of his Metal Element, but judging from his innate dual-element, Ding Yumian, with her keen intelligence, would likely deduce it sooner or later. Over time, as their cooperation deepened, she would naturally come to know.

Lu Jun wasn't overly cautious. First, sincerity invites sincerity. Since she had revealed her deepest secret, there was no reason to doubt her. Second, the two of them were currently well-hidden. As long as they were careful moving forward, they would remain safe until eight years later when the Sea Monster Empire invades.

Hearing this, Ding Yumian fell into thought. No wonder Lu Jun had been able to fight continuously for an entire day and night. Some had speculated he possessed an innate talent, not in terms of magic power but in extraordinary stamina, with mana reserves many times greater than the average person.

Thus, people didn't find it overly strange that one extra Soul Seed couldn't defeat Lu Jun. That was too far-fetched. Some even planned to create a ranking of innate talents, with Lu Jun undoubtedly in the top five.

However, now she understood. His stamina talent was essentially due to his dual-element at each tier—four elements in total... Wait a moment. Could it be that Lu Jun was at the mid-tier with four elements?!

That would be terrifying. Even if she unleashed the full combat strength of her Psychic Element, Ding Yumian doubted she could defeat Lu Jun. Besides the Water and Curse Elements he displayed openly, there was a hidden Psychic Element and an additional peculiar magic element—was it tied to that super magic tool?

Recovering from her thoughts, Ding Yumian chuckled self-deprecatingly, "In that case, we're on par—destined to be destroyed."

"What do you plan to do in the future?" she asked after a moment of silence. "Or rather, what do you think the meaning of life is?"

"The future? Are you referring to the Holy City?"

Hearing this, Lu Jun was taken aback. Seeing the white-dressed girl's expression of confusion and sorrow, he remarked helplessly, "What are you thinking? The meaning of life lies in living. If those old geezers from the Holy City dare disrupt my life, I won't hold back. I'll destroy them sooner or later."

Speaking earnestly, he continued, "What are you so afraid of? If worse comes to worst, we'll storm the Holy City with a self-detonation act. If we die, we'll take a chunk of flesh from them too."

Lu Jun had noticed Ding Yumian's psychological issues. In the original story, she had shown a strong tendency toward self-destruction. Her so-called calmness and kindness were merely extensions of her self-loathing nature.

Now that he had interacted with her, this impression was even stronger. It was necessary to reverse her mindset.

Ding Yumian was stunned. From childhood to adulthood, she had heard about how powerful the Holy City was, how supreme the Five Great Magic Associations were. Even the usually reserved Principal Xiao occasionally let slip his cautious respect.

This had placed tremendous pressure on her mind. Reluctant to implicate others, she had leaned toward self-denial. Yet today, for the first time, she met someone audacious enough to declare his intent to grind the Holy City and the Five Great Magic Associations into dust.

Reflecting on Lu Jun's actions since his enrollment, Ding Yumian thought he was truly deserving of the nickname "Lu the Butcher." His personality and approach were consistent.

For some reason, hearing such impassioned words from someone who had experienced similar struggles stirred a soft spot within her. It was as if a weight had been lifted, and her burdens eased.

She pursed her lips into a smile. "Overthrow the Holy City? You're really bold to say that."

"Don't underestimate me." In this frank conversation, Lu Jun seemed to have completely let his guard down, revealing thoughts he had never even shared with his sister, Lu Mei.

"I know the Holy City too well. Those people are nothing more than Western bandits," he said.

"We need to establish our narrative. I know some individuals with potential like us. If we unite and grow, we'll be able to stand as equals."

Ding Yumian froze. For a moment, she wondered if this man had been plotting resistance since the moment his magic awakened. He truly had incredible courage and inspired an overwhelming sense of security.

At that moment, she closed her eyes, an inner voice growing louder, resonating with Lu Jun's words. Her emotions surged, and she felt an uncontrollable urge to take the lead.

When she opened her eyes, there was a newfound sharpness and determination in her gaze. "You're right. We can neither give up resistance nor indulge in fantasies of never being discovered, hiding in the shadows and passively accepting others' protection."

"We must prepare in advance, even if it means mutual destruction."

Lu Jun was visibly stunned. He had expected to persuade her over a longer period, yet she had changed her mindset so quickly.

"Surprised?" Ding Yumian's red lips curved into a smirk. Her beautiful eyes locked onto Lu Jun's, her demeanor suddenly becoming bold and aggressive. "You think you've figured everything out, that you understand me completely. But have you truly?"

For some reason, Lu Jun felt as though he had been seen through.

Before he could respond, Ding Yumian extended her slender, snow-white hand, a smile lingering at the corners of her lips. "Pleasure to collaborate."

Hesitating briefly, Lu Jun reached out, lightly brushing her cool, smooth fingertips before releasing them. "Pleasure to collaborate."

"So," Ding Yumian said with a playful smile, "what's your plan now?"

"Uh..." Lu Jun felt as though the rhythm of the conversation was slipping out of his control. He didn't dwell on such trivialities and, after a moment of thought, said, "We're still weak for now. But I know others in a similar position. For now, we should focus on strengthening ourselves."

Ding Yumian covered her mouth and chuckled softly. "So, what you're saying is, you were just spouting big talk to motivate me?"

"Uh..." Lu Jun felt a bit awkward, but his enthusiasm soon returned as he said excitedly, "Actually, I do have a way for us to grow quickly. Remember your outburst during the Beast Duel Tournament?"

"Yes." Ding Yumian seemed to revert to her original reserved demeanor, lightly biting her lip as she added, "I remember. I'm sorry about that time."

Finding her temperament somewhat unpredictable, Lu Jun said, "It's okay. What I wanted to say is that your mental oppression had a great honing effect on me."

"I want to train under your mental pressure to artificially strengthen my spiritual realm."

Hearing this, Ding Yumian was slightly taken aback. Such a method? Heart Element Mages were rare within the country, and thus resources and training techniques for them were scarce. Most relied on self-discipline.

After some thought, she admitted it was a viable approach and nodded in agreement. "Alright. Set a time, and I'll make myself available occasionally."

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