Versatile Mage: Start by obtaining the White Tiger Pendant

People all over the world were watching the joke, thinking that a major threat had been eliminated, especially when they heard that the two members who were kicked out still had important tactical positions. It was simply self-destruction.

"Let me tell you something. The Chinese team is very strong, but it doesn't matter. They will give it to you!"

Domestic netizens also expressed their anger, saying: "Haha, the Guofu team never disappoints in terms of disappointment."

"The tutors of the government are just eating their lunch. And why isn't the troublemaker Mo Fan kicked out? And why isn't Mu Ningxue, the family member of a Black Church member kicked out? I suspect she's going to fix the game."

"Where is the captain of the Guofu? The team members are eliminating dissidents. Where are you, Mr. Lu?"

Public opinion was gradually being distorted, as if someone was deliberately manipulating it. If nothing unexpected happened, it would be the two great families, the Mu family and the Nanrong family, who were unwilling to see their family members eliminated.

Feng Li was under tremendous pressure. Every day, countless important people called him, either to threaten him, or to bribe him, or to persuade him with good words from friends, or to persuade him with kindness from benefactors.

The first two are okay, but the last two are really uncomfortable.

Fortunately, he insisted on his own opinion, silently took on all the public opinion, and protected the members of the National Government team from wind and rain.

Time passed, and three months went by in a flash. The ten members of the national government devoted themselves to practice and gained something. However, the storm of public opinion outside not only did not stop, but became more and more intense.

All the members who came out of isolation were indignant, even Guan Yu had some complaints against Mo Fan, thinking it was too much, couldn't they just show mercy while they could, and it would be best to remove the two from the bench and not let them play, and downplay the matter.

Rumble!

At the same time, the roar of the rising tide was heard from the place where Lu Jun was in seclusion. The sky-blue glow surged above the cave, forming layers of tidal ocean, which was majestic and full of the rich breath of water element.

With a "pop" sound, the sound of some shackles being broken was heard.

In Lu Jun’s spiritual world, a vast dark river expanded, the light film shattered, and the surging magic energy collided with another wall of sighs.

He slowly opened his eyes, his whole body was filled with water energy and a myriad of mists filled the air all around him.

The water system was promoted to the third advanced level, and full cultivation was achieved!

Seeing this, Lu Jun was filled with joy. The third level of Shuihua Sky Curtain can transform the defensive skill into an offensive move called [Sky Curtain Dive], which is similar to an upgraded version of the mid-level violent wave, with greatly increased lethality.

"Great! My water soul seed's [Tide] effect is useful again. It's at the third level. If I release seven or eight high-level magics in a row, it will be able to reach the power of the super level, a weakened version of [Cataclysm Water Roar]!"

Lu Jun thought to himself that when he first started practicing, the tide was in an insignificant position in tactics due to the constraints of water magic. But now the high-level magic changes can be used again, and it is a killing move second only to the deification state.

Next, he consolidated his water skills for a while and then came out of seclusion.

The National Government Competition has officially begun.

Lu Jun stood at the head of the hall with his hands behind his back, his face stern. He glanced at the two rows of government officials on his left and right and said in a low voice, "I've heard about what happened. Words are not enough. Everything depends on strength. Now let's break the world's criticism."

As soon as these words were spoken, the anger in the hearts of the government members was transformed into high morale, and the entire team was united.

……

The National Palace Competition has begun, and people from all over the country have been heading to Venice. In just a few days, the city has seen nearly three times as many tourists, and the waterways, bridges, squares, and bus ferries have all become somewhat crowded.

The venue was packed with people, tickets to the live Magic Battlefield were hard to come by, and scalpers were everywhere.

Due to technical limitations, videos of magic duels are extremely rare. There are only two major competitions in the world that allow people to see real magic duels.

The first is the King of Hunting Competition, and the second is the National Government Competition.

Due to their scarcity and the common people's desire for the extraordinary, these two competitions did not require any operation or promotion and naturally received the most attention.

The former is relatively okay because the level of struggle is very high and ordinary people can't understand it at all. However, the latter is a competition among the younger generation of masters that takes into account both entertainment and professionalism, and is also linked to the honor of various countries. Every session, at least hundreds of millions of people watch the broadcast.

It is truly the focus of everyone's attention.

For such an important matter, Jiuzhou not only sent the second-in-command Shao Zheng to lead the team, but also Han Ji from the Ancient Capital Magic Association, Secretary-General Zu Huixian, and the Forbidden City's chief wizard Pang Lai.

In the capital of Venice, thirty-two national flags are hung high, fluttering in the wind. These are the countries selected to enter Venice. The top thirty-two countries that have been the best in the training journey and national government challenges are all magical powers in the world.

Lu Jun and his group walked into the venue under the guidance of volunteers. The media had already settled on both sides of the aisle and were taking photos frantically.

Suddenly, he saw two people appear nearby, and many media surrounded them and asked questions.

Seeing this scene, Lu Jun couldn't help but frowned, because of this, Mu Tingying and Nan Rongni, who had been stripped of their membership in the National Government.

They seemed to notice it, looked up and saw Lu Jun looking at them, smiled coldly, and then spoke softly to the reporter in front of them, accepting the interview with a wronged look like a white lotus.

Soon, Lu Jun was surrounded by some international media. A blond, blue-eyed European and American female reporter handed him the microphone and said politely in fluent Chinese, "Excuse me, Mr. Lu Jun, can you be the representative of the Chinese team for this interview?"

She spoke very quickly, not giving Lu Jun time to react, "Before the game, I heard that your team had some bad news, so is this true?"

Hearing this, Lu Jun remained silent and sneered, knowing that someone was trying to trap him and put pressure on him. He would not take his words out of context, but some bias was inevitable. It was best not to say a word at this time.

But who is he? If you don't occupy the public opinion position, someone else will naturally take it. What's more, he wants to make a big deal and advertise for his own industry.

Lu Jun said straightforwardly, "I don't know what you mean by those situations. If you are talking about the internal strife among the team members, then it is certain that Nan Rongni and Mu Tingying used their families to frame Mu Ningxue outside the court."

"They want to abolish her cultivation and force her to withdraw from the National Government Competition."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone present was in an uproar. The female reporter's eyes lit up and she started writing frantically. She didn't care which one was the truth. Both sides insisted on their own opinions, and the contradictions made it easier to produce explosive news.

Immediately, Lu Jun was like a machine gun, with endless output and spitting saliva from his mouth. Everyone's eyes became brighter and brighter. This was big news.

"What? Do you think the withdrawal of Nan Rongni and Mu Tingying will affect the team's combat effectiveness? I can only say this - it has no effect at all!"

"The National Team is the same with or without them... Oh, no, without them, the fighting force and cohesion are stronger."

"Oh, you said that all the major sports lotteries raised our odds overnight, thinking that we could barely make it to the quarterfinals? Hahaha, I just want to say to the other national teams, you are here to compete for second place, right?"

Chapter 390 Opening match, first match against Japan!

At the entrance of the National Government, many reporters left satisfied after seeing Lu Jun’s major revelations.

Mu Tingying and Nan Rongni, who were not far away, looked unhappy. They had heard all these words, so they responded to the reporter's final question: "What do you think the Chinese team will rank without you two?"

They sneered and pretended to be humble: "I think the captain and Mo Fan are indeed strong, but considering the rankings of previous national governments, reaching the semi-finals can be considered a success."

This statement was not only a veiled mockery, but also put the Chinese team on the spot. The three giants of China were praised so highly before the game. It would be laughable if they couldn't even reach the semi-finals.

With such achievements, why are they still fighting among themselves? The labels of self-destruction and exclusion of dissidents have been nailed to the pillar of shame in history.

Nan Rongni had seen some of Lu Jun's strength, so just in case, she deliberately raised the standard. Anyway, the matter had nothing to do with her, so she would stay out of it and remain invincible.

Guan Yu, Dongfang Lie and others from the National Team seemed to be hesitant to speak, their faces heavy and they felt under great pressure.

Soon, Feng Li's figure hurriedly appeared at the entrance. Seeing that Lu Jun had exposed everything, he couldn't help but smile bitterly. He was a step too late and could only take everyone back to the special competition lounge.

He sighed and said, "You are putting yourself in a disadvantageous position by doing this."

Hearing this, Lu Jun disagreed. Winning the championship is not like treating everyone to a dinner. Sooner or later, they will sweep all the national teams, overcome all dangers and hardships, and reach the top. Public opinion will blow like a breeze.

On the other hand, if he follows through on his words, these words will propel his reputation to the highest level.

Afterwards, many reports came out, and many netizens read them and sneered and commented: "This is easy now. No matter who is right or wrong, after the game, drag them out one by one and settle accounts!"

When it was time to draw lots, the 32 powerful teams gradually entered the arena. The live broadcast attracted the attention of the whole nation. As the captains, they had to go on stage to draw lots, which was a rare opportunity to show their faces. Many national government stars became well-known because of this, and the public has been talking about it for several years.

The Venice competition is divided into three stages, and the competition system is different in each stage.

In the first stage [knockout], sixteen teams are selected to enter the next stage, the round of 16. In the second stage [treasure hunt], eight teams are selected to enter the final stage, the quarterfinals. In the third stage [grand duel], the champion is decided.

The draw is the group selection for the [knockout stage]. The 32 teams are divided into eight groups, with four teams in each group. They will take turns to play two rounds of six games, with the top two teams in each group entering the second stage.

It is a bit like the group stage of the League of Legends S Tournament, and also borrows from the system of sports events. (I wrote a League of Legends novel, and I suspect it was based on it.)

Lu Jun stepped onto the stage with a calm expression. As far as he could remember, the Chinese team was not very lucky this time and was assigned to the death group, in the same group with traditional powers Japan and Spain. According to the rule of selecting two places from each group, it meant that at least one team would be eliminated in the first round of the top 32.

This is intolerable for China, Japan and Spain, as they either have historical baggage or have always been upsets in previous competitions.

However, with him in this world, I wonder if it will trigger a butterfly effect?

Soon Lu Jun knew the answer. He drew lottery number one and was assigned to the first group, which was the same group as Japan and Spain.

"uh-huh?"

Lu Jun was surprised. This was quite interesting. Excluding the one in a million coincidences, it meant that the Venice selection team was artificially manipulated.

This is not uncommon in sports events. The organizers may not openly interfere with the progress of the game (except South Korea), but there are things worth talking about in the draw and grouping.

Take the Olympics in Lu Jun’s previous life for example. As the host country, they would generally arrange their own teams into slightly better groups. The only exception was the 08 Olympics, which fully enjoyed the spirit of a great power and was fair and just.

In addition, if there is no human manipulation, it will not work. If the United States, Greece, and the United Kingdom are divided into the same group, and any of them has the potential to be the champion, wouldn't there have to be a top 32 elimination? People who only look at Excel data will think that this team is a rookie?

Moreover, if a strong team collides with another one and is badly hurt, and another team takes advantage of the opportunity to win the championship, it will cause criticism from the organizers, who will regard it as the most worthless championship.

He narrowed his eyes and glanced at the fourth team, Turkey, which had managed to squeeze into the top 32. It was a mascot for the little trash that steadily gave away points.

When Lu Jun returned to the exclusive lounge for China, he saw the concerns of the members of the National Government. Only Mo Fan was still carefree.

"What are you worried about? Is it the public opinion?"

Seeing this, Lu Jun said earnestly: "Japan and Spain are just mere teams. Sooner or later, we will step on them on the road to winning the championship. It's only a matter of time. I hope you can let go of your burdens and do your best."

"It's a rare event that we get together. We may never meet teammates like this again in the future. This is the only chance."

"I understand." Guan Yu smiled bitterly and shook his head, saying tactfully: "I am not afraid of fighting, but the long race, encountering a strong country ahead of time, and suffering a lot of wear and tear, and we don't have a healing mage, we will suffer a great loss."

Lu Jun said decisively: "Then we will win by crushing them."

Time flies, and the Chinese team faces its first battle, which is also the first game of the National Government Competition. It is actually the opening game, which is of great significance.

The arena for the national government competition is a large arena with a radius of one kilometer. Earth magicians cast spells and shaped mud blocks at will, outlining the undulating hilly terrain. Plant masters also made a move, and tall ancient trees stood tall.

In the blink of an eye, the arena turned into a wild terrain, simulating the most realistic battlefield.

Lu Jun led the team onto the field. Due to the absence of Nan Rongni, the auxiliary mage, Feng Li simply ignored the rationality of the arrangement and sent the strongest player in the team.

They are Lu Jun, Ai Jiangtu, Mo Fan, Zhao Manyan, and Jiang Shaoxu. The latter two have physical and magical defense, and soul defense, respectively, and can track enemies. The rest depends entirely on the free play of the three core players, Lu Jun.

As soon as the competition started, countless netizens from Jiuzhou heard the news and came to enter the live broadcast room. After all, it was a competition in their own country and they had to pay close attention.

Many people joked: "Wow, all three giants are on this formation, hahaha, if they lose, they are just paper tigers, boasting gods!"

On the other side was the Japanese team, consisting of five members: captain Shao Hegu, Ming Bushong from the Shadow Department, rising star Yang Jie from the Poison Wind Department, and the remaining members were a short woman from the Psychic Department and a fat man.

Captain Shao Hegu had a solemn expression on his face. He was not one of those people from the outside world and he knew very well how terrifying the number one master in Lu Jun’s mansion was.

This time the team plans to focus on testing and conserve their energy. If they can win, they will try. If not, they will give up decisively.

The referee was in the center of the ring and announced the start of the match.

Since the venue simulated the wild, the two teams were far apart, and everyone thought that there would not be a fierce clash at the beginning, but rather a small-scale long-range consumption with scouts as the priority.

Unexpectedly, Lu Jun moved!

Chapter 391: Sweeping Power, the Only Chance in This Lifetime

Buzz!

On the field, Lu Jun stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes flashing with cursed light, and his terrifying and vast mental power overflowed, depicting the primary magic [Haze of Fear·Thousand Miles Soul Locking]. The cursed ghost face with bared fangs and claws descended from the air to the opposite Japanese team.

Ah! One of the five Japanese players let out a shrill scream.

Everyone was startled and looked back quickly, and found that it was the short girl from the psychic department of the team who had sent out the signal. She was originally carefully painting the wall of mind for the team.

At this moment, the short woman's face was filled with fear and she had a splitting headache. In her blurred vision, she saw a pair of evil god's eyes staring at her from above. They were like two dark whirlpools, hollow and seemed to suck her soul in.

"How is this possible?! Sixth level spiritual power, high-level full-cultivation curse, and the power of this curse method?"

The Japanese female spiritual mage tried her best to activate the spiritual galaxy, but still couldn't get rid of it.

She figured out a lot of tricks and was in despair. She took a mind stone given by her family before the competition and barely broke through the barriers of the third realm. She barely broke through the fourth realm, but this monster had reached the peak of the sixth realm.

The next second, her consciousness sank completely into darkness. A figure emerged beside the woman, and the referee carried her away and sent her for treatment.

"Japan's Miyuki Toyota is eliminated!"

Killed in one move! What else can I say? In addition to the above three advantages, Lu Jun's curse-based primary magic cannot be a simple haze of fear, but a fifth-level magic, comparable to mid-level magic.

Japanese captain Shao Hegu was sweating profusely and was terrified. Damn it, a high-level wizard was instantly killed by a basic level magic?

He knew that Lu Jun's curse magic was very powerful, but he didn't expect it to be so outrageous. In the battle in the soul realm, even the psychic mage was defeated in one blow. What should they do then?

"Retreat quickly!"

Shao Hegu gave the command in a hurry, but before he could finish his words, his mind buzzed and a deep blue pendant on his body suddenly flashed with light. It was about to raise a layer of spiritual light shield, but before it could be formed, it exploded into a ball of glow with a "bang" and disappeared.

At that moment he felt his vision spinning and his body staggered to the ground, even worse than the mind mage.

After eliminating two people in succession, Poison and Wind-type Yosuke reacted. His face was ferocious and he roared, "Even if I lose, I will chew off your flesh and blood."

Poison Cave·Revenge of the Flies!