Full-Time Mage: Starting with the White Tiger Pendant

But Tang Yue was two or three years older than her elder sister.

"Spirit Seed, huh." Lu Mei paused briefly, then nodded with anticipation. "Alright, we've accumulated twenty-five million in funds over the year. Pity we didn't run into any General-level monsters this year. If we could scrape together forty million, maybe we'd both get Spirit Seeds."

Honestly, she'd never dared to dream about Spirit Seeds before. She thought Intermediate Level was as far as she'd ever go.

Never expected her younger brother's gold element to carry her this far—now she could even look forward to the Advanced Level.

"Let's go, we're heading out now."

Lu Mei packed her clothes and urged him impatiently. In a small city like Bo City, Intermediate Level resources were about the ceiling. Whether it was the wild One-Eyed Magic Wolf packs or the Magic Association itself.

Only a world-class metropolis like Magic City had abundant resources, covering everything below the Forbidden Curse.

Spirit Seeds could be bought as long as you had money, and top-tier ones were plentiful.

Magic City was still a fair distance from Bo City. The siblings first went to the nearest Xiamen, then took a high-speed train onward. In the Magic World, city rails required special barriers to operate; otherwise, a demon attack would turn everyone into canned meat.

They stayed one night at a hotel in the bustling city center, then headed to the auction house recommended by the Magic Association. No need to find connections.

That was the benefit of Lu Jun and his sister's two years of demon hunting—they'd built ties with major organizations like the Demon Hunting Alliance and the Magic Association by processing materials and Essence Souls.

They both held Senior Demon Hunter credentials for the former, and VIP status for the latter.

Lu Jun didn't go to the auction house with his sister. She'd pick the Spirit Seed herself. He stayed in the hotel, focusing on stabilizing his newly promoted Intermediate Level Water Element Star Nebula.

About seven or eight hours later, Lu Mei returned, holding a cold, mechanical-looking magic energy box. Inside lay the Spirit Seed. Her smile bloomed like a flower, and her steps were noticeably lighter.

Seeing this, Lu Jun scratched his head and grinned. "So? What Spirit Seed did you buy?"

He felt no jealousy or sense of loss. They were family. In a year or two, they'd earn it back together, and he'd get his own Spirit Seed too.

Not to mention, if he got into an academy, his strength would earn him Spirit Seed fragments regularly. Ten fragments fused into a Water Spirit Seed would be a breeze.

Lu Mei gave a mysterious smile, teasing him. "Guess."

"No idea." Lu Jun rolled his eyes and opened the magic energy box directly. Instantly, a surge of water vapor burst out, flooding the entire room with azure radiance.

"This is... a Water Spirit Seed?!"

Lu Jun was stunned. He looked up at his sister, finding her radiant smile breathtaking under the blue light.

In an instant, he understood. He stared blankly at Lu Mei, his heart feeling like a stone had lodged itself there. He wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.

"Ah... you should've bought yours instead. No need to surprise me."

After a moment, Lu Jun pressed a hand to his forehead. Even he didn't notice the slight hoarseness in his voice.

Lu Mei said gently, "You need the Water Spirit Seed more... I don't know what's been chasing you these past three years, making you so anxious. Is it because of the new gold element?... I don't know. But I think strength should give you a sense of security."

Chapter 34: Tide

Lu Jun's thoughts churned, his heart surging like a tide. Even with a thousand words, he couldn't voice them.

Once, he'd walked alone, chasing fame and fortune, everything he gained for himself alone. Now, he realized some things mattered more.

Beside him, Lu Mei urged, "Hurry up and refine this Spirit Seed. I spent twenty-three million on this top-tier Water Spirit Seed. It's called [Tide]."

Hearing this, Lu Jun calmed himself. He didn't say much, keeping the gratitude in his heart.

But the price of this Water Spirit Seed surprised him. It looked flawless, yet it was quite cheap. For reference, Mo Fan's future Thunder Spirit Seed [Thousand Jun] would cost twenty-eight million.

He guessed the reasons. First, Magic City was coastal, near Japan, so water resources were abundant. Second, thunder elements were rarer, driving up prices due to scarcity.

Then, with anticipation, Lu Jun reached his hand into the azure glow inside the magic energy box. On the surface, the [Tide Water Seed] was crystal clear, like a gem.

Inside, it contained layers of swirling vortex patterns, like overlapping waves on the sea. Leaning in, you could hear a faint, rustling tide sound.

When Lu Jun's hand entered, it felt like plunging into dense mercury. Buoyancy squeezed and repelled, but soon the azure water mass melted. Countless threads of water seeped from his palm into his body, carrying a cool sensation that filled him entirely.

Lu Jun closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, his spirit sensing this strange element. The process was a baptism of vast, pure water elements, as if he were in the ocean. Powerful tides crashed against reefs again and again, polishing them smooth and tightening them.

Thus, Lu Jun's skin became glossy and delicate, yet exuded a certain toughness. His muscle density increased, blood thickened, and capillaries were silently transformed. His blood energy rose steadily.

His physique, already comparable to a top athlete after advancing to Intermediate Level, might now reach superhuman levels after refining the Spirit Seed.

In his Spiritual World, the azure Water Element Star Nebula seemed forcibly invaded by a denser water quality. From its depths, pure water elements surged, rapidly dyeing it azure.

The vortex expanded, slow and steady, like an unfathomable sea abyss standing in the universe.

For the first time, the Water Element Star Nebula pushed the Gold Element Star Nebula aside, claiming the center.

Rumble!

Outside, Lu Jun's entire body glowed azure. Layers of tide surged from him, soaking the room.

Under Lu Mei's tense gaze, her younger brother opened his eyes and smiled.

She quickly asked, "How is it?"

"Very strong." Lu Jun carefully sensed. The Azure Star Nebula contained a massive energy. All his water magic effects would be multiplied by three!

That was terrifying. Ordinary Spirit Seeds gave 2-3 times. His was maxed out. One Water Shield skill equaled three of someone else's. He'd barely held against Advancement Period magic wolves before; now he could tank a claw from a General-level one.

Most importantly, it had a special effect called [Tide].

The Spirit Seed itself was named after it. Anyone who'd played by the sea knew ocean tides seemed unremarkable at first glance, but they were the true culprits behind countless deaths.

The first wave you easily resisted, unimpressed. Then the second and third gradually tired you. When you felt exhausted and wanted to go ashore, you'd be horrified to find you no longer had the strength.

Yet the waves rose higher and higher, his entire body swaying with the tide, buoyancy and impact pulling at him from all sides. Even if someone on shore noticed and tried to rescue him, they would be pitting themselves against the momentum of an entire ocean.

According to Lu Jun's experiments, when converted into a magical effect, every time Azure Water washed over an enemy mage, it would drain a portion of their stamina or mana—a small amount each time.

That portion of mana would then dissolve into the water, and the next time he cast a spell, its power would increase by 20%. A third cast would add 40%, stacking sequentially.

"Of course, it has to hit the target. But for a Water mage, that's trivial. Intermediate [Storm Wave] summons a torrent—a large-scale area attack."

Lu Jun was overjoyed. This Spirit Seed was a perfect match for a Water mage's intermediate skill. Storm Wave's trigger rate was extremely high.

By comparison, Water Shield required the demon to be up close, and Turbulent Cycle only washed over the target during combat, making its trigger rate lower.

Imagine him unleashing five intermediate spells in a row. With the Spirit Seed's bonus stacking to 100%, the fifth strike would hit with six times the power of an ordinary Water mage—infinitely close to Advanced level.

And that wasn't even the limit.

As long as Lu Jun had enough mana and time to build up, stirring up monstrous waves would be effortless.

"But the stronger the magic, the greater the mental cultivation required to control it."

He thought about it and quickly guessed the limitation. For an ordinary mage, the third or fourth strike would likely be beyond their mental control—after all, it was still only a Spirit-level water.

But Lu Jun was different. The more he cultivated Mind and Curse elements, the higher his spiritual realm soared, granting him limitless power.

"This effect feels familiar. Could it be from Sea Battle City in Japan?"

Lu Jun didn't know, but he was certain of one thing: his Water element had finally come into its own! The days of playing support were over. He was now a full-fledged damage dealer. A single Spirit Water had turned everything around.

"Maybe no one can even survive the fifth Storm Wave. Tide isn't just one effect—it's two. Draining someone's stamina and mana... tsk tsk."

In his mind, he constructed several complete battle systems using his four elements. Stalling for time was something Mind and Curse excelled at. Their basic skills cast quickly, letting him interrupt an enemy's intermediate spell, then flood the field with Storm Waves before finishing with a clean sweep.

One word: unstoppable.

Seeing her younger brother's ecstatic expression, Lu Mei couldn't help but smile. "As long as you're happy. It's getting late. Sleep early tonight. We head back tomorrow."

The night passed without incident. Lu Jun was too excited to sleep and spent the entire night meditating.

Before leaving, he turned back to take in Magic City's glittering nightscape. This place was prosperous and beautiful, but he didn't belong here now.

Next time, he would return to Magic City with a far more glorious identity.

The next day, the siblings returned to Bo City in the evening.

As soon as they got home, Lu Jun decided to come clean with Lu Mei. "Sis, I need to tell you something. Don't be shocked."

"Oh?" Lu Mei seemed to have expected this. She said gently, "Go ahead."

"Do you know about the Black Vatican?"

He then laid out everything: the sewers, the theft of the Earth Sacred Spring to lure demons into invading, and his deduction that Bo City's high-level officials had a mole. He framed it all as speculation to make it easier for his sister to accept, hiding part of the truth.

"What?!"

Lu Mei was stunned. She said seriously, "Are you serious? No wonder you've been so preoccupied these past three years. Why didn't you report this to the Adjudication Court?"

"If it were just this, I wouldn't be so worried. The problem is, I suspect the higher-ups have been infiltrated by the Black Vatican. They've planted moles. An anonymous report would just tip them off."

Lu Jun sighed first, then said vaguely, "Bo City's high-level officials have Black Vatican members. Hangzhou's situation is even more complicated. It's hard to say they don't have them there too."

Chapter 35: Coming Clean

Lu Mei frowned deeply. "If it were any other organization being eaten away by the Black Vatican, I'd believe it. But the Adjudication Court has the [Oath Tree]. Anyone who swears under this divine tree absolutely cannot break their oath, or their cultivation will be crippled."

"Every new member must pass this verification. The Adjudication Court is the purest organization there is."

Seeing this, Lu Jun pursed his lips. This was exactly what made things difficult for him. Others would find it hard to trust him, preferring to believe in the Adjudication Court.

But fortunately, his sister's trust in him was unconditional. She quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.

"Forget it," she said. "Since you're a Mind Mage and your sixth sense is telling you this, we won't go to the Adjudication Court. Find someone you think is trustworthy to cooperate with. Let's investigate first and gather evidence."

Hearing his sister's gentle, supportive words, Lu Jun was moved. He already had a plan for dealing with the Black Vatican. Even without anyone else, the two of them could resolve half of Bo City's crisis.

The only thing to watch out for was the Black Vatican's future retaliation.

That was why most people dared not provoke them. At most, they'd file an anonymous report, afraid of dragging their relatives into it.

But Lu Jun knew the Black Vatican's internal structure and distribution too well. The Black Vatican's influence spanned the globe, rooted in human society. At the top was the White Pope, with seven Cardinals beneath him.

The Cardinals were like regional leaders, generally heeding the Pope's summons but not his direct orders.

The Black Vatican's forces here were only a fraction of the whole. Originally, there was only one Cardinal. But reality didn't care about logic. In the future, a full three Cardinals would come here to stir up trouble.

The operation in Bo City was orchestrated by one of them: [Salang]. Her traditional power base was overseas, making her a dragon crossing the river. The specific operatives under her command were Tiger Jin Grand Deacon Mu He and Palm Leader Wu Ku.

Salang's real name was Ye Chang. She was also the stepmother of the protagonist Mo Fan and the biological mother of Ye Xin Xia... tsk tsk, what a tangled web.

Of course, the two sides had long since fallen out over the Disaster of Bo City. Later, Mo Fan pursued relentlessly, and his younger sister Xin Xia directly killed her mother—a textbook example of filial piety through matricide.

Lu Jun knew well that the Bo City disaster was merely a rehearsal for the [Ancient Capital Undead Disaster].

Even if he provoked them, first, their local power base was shallow. Second, Salang's attention was currently focused on the Ancient Capital. She wouldn't be able to break away in a short while. In the short term, he had nothing to fear from retaliation.

"As for the future... heh, let her survive the Ancient Capital first!"

He silently made up his mind. Besides, there was a great opportunity waiting for him in the Ancient Capital. Add to that the Black Vatican's rich resources in Mind and Curse elements—he had chosen those two elements largely because of the Black Vatican. He was determined to have them.

But Lu Jun had to admit that just Mu He and Wu Ku alone were already difficult to deal with—the former was High Rank, the latter Super Rank.

Mu He was responsible for manufacturing the Frenzied Spring and digging open the underground tunnels of Bo City for an inside-outside coordination, while Wu Ku would Call Wind Summon Rain, merging the Frenzied Spring into the rainwater to bring down a torrential storm that would drive the wild demons into a frenzy.

The Disaster of Bo City had lifted its curtain amidst that Torrential Rain.

Fortunately, Lu Jun clearly remembered that Salang had demanded that figures like Mu He and Wu Ku must never expose their identities. They would most likely not make a move, leaving the rest to the demons.

So it was neither difficult nor simple.

As much as he wanted to tear up the script and pick them off one by one, his strength wasn't enough, so it was better to Lie Low, pretend he Did Not Know, cooperate with their act, and save Bo City without forcing Mu He and Wu Ku to act.

Don't make things harder for yourself, and maintain the advantage of foreknowledge to cast a long line and catch a big fish.

Soon, the next day, Lu Mei followed her Younger Brother to the Hunter's Alliance for an investigation. Sure enough, over the past year, the frequency of Giant Eyed Rat Demons emerging from the sewers had increased significantly, and there was even a case of an Advancement Period One-Eyed Magic Wolf appearing within the city.

That was a bit excessive. It meant that some underground passage led to the wilderness outside the city. Once a demon tide was Launched, it was Highly Likely to bypass the Snow Peak Mountain Outpost's defensive line and invade the city, resulting in countless deaths.

"We need to conduct an on-the-ground inspection," Lu Mei said, realizing the severity of the matter. She spoke gravely, "Such a big thing, and no one reported it. An Advancement Period magic wolf, and the high-level officials of Bo City didn't react at all—they just suppressed it. You're right, there's a Black Vatican mole among the High-level Officials."

The siblings planned to scout and mark all the sewer gaps.

Nighttime, Inscription Women's High School Library.

Two girls were reading and looking up materials. One sat in a wheelchair, her demeanor soft and gentle, her features flawless—the only pity being that her beautiful legs couldn't stand. The other was healthy, with a fairly delicate appearance.

They chatted and laughed, until the girl in the wheelchair frowned and said, "Lin Yun'er, do you smell a sour stench?"

The healthy girl named Lin Yun'er sniffed and said dismissively, "There is one. The school cafeteria is right next door. It's probably just the smell of leftover food that hasn't been disposed of yet. Normal."