Full-Time Mage: Starting From Obtaining the White Tiger Pendant

Unfortunately, the great noble families were utterly hopeless. Their capital was simply too abundant—even if they made countless mistakes, they had a safety net. When Yu Ang activated his Armor Magic Tool and easily withstood the Fire Seed, everyone had already sentenced Mo Fan to death.

They admired Mo Fan—young as he was, already at Primary Level Three—yet pitied him too. No matter how hard he tried, it was all in vain. Fairness had never existed. A man bearing three magic tools effectively had three extra skills at his disposal.

In the end, unsurprisingly, Mo Fan grew furious. He unleashed the Lightning Element he had hidden for so long, a Decisive Blow that defeated Yu Ang.

The moment his Innate Dual Elements appeared, the big shots of Bo City were shocked. He made a stunning debut.

No one paid any attention to Yu Ang, who lay there like a dead dog. Every faction scrambled to invite Mo Fan. Zhan Kong from the military and Yang Zuohe from the Magic Association offered the highest prices—they were the major powers that extended beyond Bo City.

And though the Magic World's Western side was deeply corrupt, one had to admit that Bo City still had a few people of vision.

They quickly sealed off information about Mo Fan's talent, allowing him to grow steadily during his fragile early stage.

Immediately after, Yang Zuohe took Mo Fan non-stop back to the Yin Mao Building to go into seclusion, receive the Earth Sacred Spring's baptism, and break through to Intermediate Mage as soon as possible, gaining some ability to protect himself.

As for the big figures from Mu Manor, they were far from ready to disperse. They all used the platform to converse and trade hidden interests.

Mo Fan was very surprised to hear about the Yin Mao Building. Then, when he arrived at the destination and saw two familiar faces, he was even more shocked: "Holy crap, Lu Jun, you were here all along?!"

Chapter 38: Alliance

Night.

Lu Jun and Lu Mei stood before the landmark Yin Mao Building. This hundred-meter-tall skyscraper stood tall, its entire surface clad in a layer of crystal-clear glass, like a lone silver sword proudly rising amid the city's brilliant lights.

From the top of the building, one could see all of Bo City, looking down upon the masses.

Normally, this place was bustling with people, the entire body flowing with light and color. Now, it was dim and lifeless, with few people around. That was because today, the big shots of Bo City were all at Mu Manor, and it also happened to coincide with student holidays and office workers' days off.

It wasn't just the Yin Mao Building—most of Bo City was on holiday. The entire city's people were resting at home.

This was the flashpoint Lu Jun had carefully prepared. The streets connected in all directions, allowing for quick movement and unrestrained combat without endangering passersby.

Then he heard a loud, carefree voice from behind: "Old Lu, so you were here all along! Not much of a brother, are you? You didn't even come watch me beat the crap out of that Yu Ang."

Hearing this, Lu Jun turned around and saw Mo Fan. He understood and said with an understated air: "I believed you could defeat Yu Ang, so I deliberately waited here at the Earth Sacred Spring for the victor—that is, you."

Mo Fan suddenly understood, but he felt something was off and said, "You're so full of yourself."

Yang Zuohe stared at Lu Jun, his expression strange. He knew Lu Jun—his talent was no less than Mo Fan's. Based on his elder sister's cultivation level, she far surpassed him. Lu Jun was also qualified to undergo the Earth Sacred Spring's baptism, but he had given up the opportunity.

Of course, now that Mo Fan's Innate Dual Elements talent had been exposed, he had left Lu Jun far behind. This candidate selection was the most correct one.

Lu Mei nodded to Yang Zuohe.

This middle-aged chairman of the Magic Association smiled and nodded back. He was a little puzzled, wondering why this brother and sister had come to the Yin Mao Building.

Seeing that Yang Zuohe had also arrived, Lu Jun patted Mo Fan on the shoulder and revealed a meaningful smile. "Go on, soak in your Earth Sacred Spring."

He wasn't interested in the Earth Sacred Spring. Its energy had already been greatly depleted and was nearly exhausted. It was useless to him as an Intermediate Mage, and moreover, it attracted too much hatred—the Black Vatican had their eyes on it.

It was better to let Mo Fan continue along his original path and become the Black Vatican's primary target. If his guess was correct, Mo Fan's dual-element talent had already been exposed.

Although Lu Jun felt that "better him than me" was a bad attitude, Mo Fan's life was truly tough. Salang, his mother-in-law, had even held back in the early stages. She wouldn't do the same for him.

This kind of benefit was better left for Mo Fan to enjoy—to draw the fire—while he himself fought from the shadows.

"See you later, then." Mo Fan said smugly. "When I come out, I'll be an Intermediate Mage. Old Lu, call me big brother then, and I'll have your back."

Lu Jun curled his lip. There would come a time when you'd be calling me daddy.

Soon, Mo Fan was taken by Yang Zuohe to the Earth Sacred Spring.

Not long after, a valiant female guard hurried out of the building. Lin Yuxin waved and smiled. "Hello, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting. We had to prepare the Earth Sacred Spring today."

"Why didn't you go to the banquet at Mu Manor instead of coming to my little place?"

Without a doubt, the Earth Sacred Spring was at the bottom of the Yin Mao Building. Even on holidays, the guards never rested.

Lu Jun said seriously, "I came here this time to tell you something and to ask for your help."

"Huh?" Lin Yuxin looked puzzled. "What is it? As long as it doesn't violate my principles, I'll risk my life for it."

"Wait a moment." He glanced at his watch. "There's one more person coming."

Hearing this, Lin Yuxin was quite confused but patiently waited.

Clack, clack, clack!

Suddenly, from the quiet night street came the sound of high heels clicking. From the shadows, Tang Yue's tall, graceful figure emerged.

She wore a professional office lady outfit—a white blouse tightly hugging her peaks, a small black skirt wrapping her plump hips, and black stockings outlining her shapely, slender legs. Her entire being was like a queen of the night, or a black night-blooming flower.

Tang Yue walked with light steps, her gaze sweeping over the few people present. She was first surprised to see Lu Mei and Lin Yuxin, then walked up to Lu Jun, her expression grave. "Who exactly are you? How do you know I'm a member of the Adjudication Court?"

She had long been impressed by this student. Whether it was his control over the Water Shield in his first year of high school or their chance encounter at Snow Peak Mountain Outpost in his second year, that aura of a Demon Hunter's strength was not something an ordinary youth could possess.

She had found no trace of the Black Vatican in this city and had planned to leave Bo City tonight and return to Hangzhou.

But just before she left, a strange call came in, directly exposing her identity. She had hidden her identity for two and a half years—how could she not be alarmed?

Thus, when she heard the invitation to meet at the Yin Mao Building, she hesitated for a moment, then abandoned her plans and came alone.

Of course, to be safe, she had already sent out information before coming. If she died, the Adjudication Court would react quickly.

In truth, Tang Yue felt that Lu Jun probably meant no harm. She had investigated him—his background was clean. And if he really were from the Black Vatican, there would be no need for him to expose himself, since she was already preparing to leave.

"Don't worry, Teacher Tang. I'm just a local from Bo City, with no ties to any other faction." Lu Jun shrugged. "As for how I knew you were from the Adjudication Court... well, you made it too obvious. I guessed."

Speaking of this, he felt a strong urge to complain. An Adjudication Court member who was supposed to lie low instead parachuted in as a mysterious beautiful teacher, drawing attention from all sorts of factions.

In a game of Werewolf or Goose Goose Duck, this was a role that needed to hide its identity but instead played as a "focus target," with everyone watching you through a magnifying glass—how could they not pick up on a lot of things?

A mysterious background, a beautiful teacher, overwhelming strength—tch tch tch, the buffs were maxed out.

But no matter, he was the "Righteous Sheriff," with eyes of fire, pointing out the three wolves (Mu He, Yu Ang, Bai Yang), and would turn the tide!

In the Original Timeline, Tang Yue left tonight. The slight difference was that she saw Mo Fan before leaving, but now, since he had handled the Stardust Magic Tool, there was no connection, and she would have just left—luckily, he stopped her in time.

Tang Yue heard the youth's complaints, her face flushing a bit as she felt there was some truth to it. She forced herself to stay calm and said, "So, what do you want with me?"

"I've found traces of the Black Vatican. Their target is probably the Earth Sacred Spring and the destruction of Bo City."

Lu Jun's words were shocking. Not only did Tang Yue's heart skip a beat, but even the bewildered Lin Yuxin beside her grew serious, finally understanding why she had been sought out.

"Wait." Tang Yue frowned deeply. "I've been investigating for so long without a single clue. Why do you say there's a Black Vatican presence?"

Hearing this, Lu Jun smiled, then turned to Lin Yuxin and said, "Didn't you notice before that a demon had dug an underground passage to the Earth Sacred Spring and even stolen some of the spring water?"

Lin Yuxin was taken aback. "How do you know? Even though we sealed it up, I've always suspected things weren't that simple."

Then, Lu Jun laid out all the evidence, using reasoning to reconstruct the "truth." The clues in the two women's hands corroborated each other, the puzzle pieces fit, and they were about seventy to eighty percent convinced.

Tang Yue sighed. "I came here because I got a lead. Three years with nothing to show for it. I never expected the high-level officials to cover it up, and the activity was in the sewer, a blind spot in our thinking."

"I'll report this to the Adjudication Court right away. In a few days, we'll launch a joint operation to sweep Bo City."

"Don't." Lu Jun quickly stopped her, warning solemnly, "I plan to act tonight."

Chapter 39: Destroy the Tunnels

Tang Yue asked in confusion, "So soon?!"

"To avoid alerting the enemy." Lu Jun didn't reveal the mole in the Hangzhou Adjudication Court—those people were too high-ranking and hard to dirty. He could only say, "I think their operation is within the next few days. We can't wait. Strike first."

Lin Yuxin took a Deep Breath. "What do you want to do? I'm ready to follow."

Lu Jun took charge without hesitation. "Destroy and block all the tunnels leading out of the city. We need to move fast, and I've already scouted the relevant locations."

"That requires enough manpower and authorization to operate in the city." Lin Yuxin said calmly. "Right now, Yang Zuohe from the Magic Association can be trusted, along with my guard team."

Making a snap decision, the four entered the Yin Mao Building to meet Yang Zuohe. Though Tang Yue felt it was rushed, as an Adjudication Court member, she decisively took action, preferring to make a mistake than do nothing.

President Yang had just arranged for Mo Fan to undergo the Earth Sacred Spring baptism. Hearing the four's words, he looked stunned.

Guard Captain Liang spoke up, "Aren't you being too sensitive?"

These words made Lin Yuxin frown. "This data is enough to prove the problem. The basement where the Earth Sacred Spring was placed was nearly breached not long ago. Isn't that worth being alert?"

"In the end, it's all speculation..."

Captain Liang wanted to say more, but Lu Jun cut him off on the spot. He was speechless. Lin Yuxin and Tang Yue had some clues, plus the relationship of savior and teacher-student, making them easier to convince. But the two higher-ups were different—more cautious.

"I'll act first. If I'm wrong, I'll bear all the consequences. But if I'm right, you'll compensate me tenfold."

Lu Jun was Too Lazy to argue with them. He was here to inform them, not to seek approval. At a critical moment, one had to go it alone.

Tang Yue also chose to fully support him, revealing her identity on the spot and saying coldly, "I'm a member of the Hangzhou Adjudication Court. I'm temporarily taking over the Bo City Magic Association."

"Making a student take responsibility—aren't you ashamed? I'll take full responsibility. My uncle is the Hangzhou Adjudicator!"

The few present were slightly startled. Yang Zuohe was no slouch either, and he said solemnly, "Fine, the Magic Association authorizes the operation. I trust Ms. Tang Yue as well. Please point out the locations."

The three women Looked Towards Lu Jun. Calmly, he took a map and circled several spots. "These places—send people to block them all first to prevent demons from outside the city from invading. At least Intermediate Mages are needed."

After a brief discussion, they each moved out. Tang Yue had Shadow + Fire, Lu Mei had Wind + Earth, and Lin Yuxin was also an Intermediate Water Element mage, capable of destroying tunnels solo.

Both Tang Yue and Lin Yuxin instructed Lu Jun, "You're a student. Stay here."

They Didn't Know that his cultivation had already reached dual-element Intermediate Level 1, and he had mastered Intermediate magic.

"Yeah, I should stay at the Yin Mao Building."

Lu Jun nodded calmly. This wasn't for safety—the tunnel destruction operation was actually the safest part, with no danger, since the enemy wouldn't even have time to stop it before it was over.

Rather, his intuition told him the Black Vatican would launch one last hysterical counterattack, sending heavy forces to storm this place and seize the Earth Sacred Spring by force. He wanted to test his blade against the Black Vatican and defend Bo City!

Just like he had felt three years ago—Sooner or Later, he could turn the tide, shatter all tragedies with strength, and achieve a perfect ending.

A mage's duty was to protect the people and slay demons! Though Lu Jun couldn't be everywhere, he held this aspiration in his heart.

Soon, Only Remained Yang Zuohe, Guard Captain Liang, and Lu Jun. All seven or eight Intermediate Mages from the Yin Mao Building had been dispatched.

Yang Zuohe suggested, "Let's go to the roof of the Yin Mao Building. We can Look Down over all of Bo City. When the signal goes off, it means they've succeeded."

The night wind howled. For the first time, Lu Jun stood at this vantage point, overlooking Bo City. The view opened his mind, and he Clenched his fists, his Inner Heart a bit tense.

The three waited patiently for a long time until they saw thick smoke rising from a certain part of Bo City, followed by a "whoosh" as a rocket shot into the sky—a specialized signal flare.

Lu Jun whispered in delight, "It's the tunnel at Inscription Women's High School. Elder Sister succeeded."

Soon, a warm, magnetic voice came through the walkie-talkie Beside His Ears. "Point B tunnel destroyed and completely blocked."

Then, one after another, smoke and signal flares rose from various locations, bringing good news one after another.

Yang Zuohe wasn't idle either. Using the Magic Association's privileges, he broadcast a message through the city-wide announcement system: "Attention, citizens. A special drill will be conducted tonight. Please stay at home and do not move around. There's no need to be alarmed by any noises."

The entire city heard it—bewildered, curious, but the excellent collective discipline of the Chinese people made them trust the nation without hesitation and obediently stay indoors.

Finally, Yang Zuohe put down the walkie-talkie, looked at Lu Jun, and said with a bitter smile, "Today is insane. Based on the word of a single student, I mobilized the Adjudication Court, the guard squad, and myself."

"You won't regret it."

Lu Jun said calmly, "After tonight, you'll be grateful."

Meanwhile, at Mu Manor, the big shots were safe, while Mu He excused himself with an apologetic air and left, taking the failure Yu Ang with him.

Once in the back room, Mu He's originally gentle demeanor shifted—vicious and sinister. He stared coldly at Yu Ang and said, "Worthless trash. Do you know how much trouble your failure today has caused the Vatican's plan?"

"Spare me, sir. Give me one more chance." Yu Ang dropped to his knees with a thud, drenched in sweat, his face full of terror. He knew all too well the fate of failure in the Black Vatican—a fate worse than death! Being refined alive into a Black Beast Demon.

"Heh." Mu He's face twisted with disgust. He was about to speak when he suddenly heard Yang Zuohe's city-wide broadcast and couldn't help but feel alarmed.

Then, the communicator in his hand rang. It was a report from a subordinate Black Robe Priest: "It's bad, Deacon. The underground passages our sect set up across Bo City have been discovered and are being destroyed one by one by the Magic Association."

Hearing this, Mu He recalled the broadcast just now. His Face Greatly Changed, and he cursed, "Damn it! How did those idiots in the Magic Association find out?"

Then came a stream of bad news. Within just a few minutes, half of the tunnels were Destroyed.

Mu He's rage surged higher, but years of wielding power forced him to hold it in. He took a Deep Breath, dialed the communicator, and said calmly, "Notify the Archbishop to start the operation ahead of schedule."

"We've prepared for this so long. The Rain Summoner dispatched by Lord Salang is also in position. The arrow is on the string—it must be fired."

"It's too late to salvage the tunnels. By the time we react, they'll all be destroyed. Our target isn't about destroying Bo City, or even the Earth Sacred Spring. This is an experiment."

He commanded in a low voice, "Once the Demon Horde outside the city succeeds and draws their attention, you will move out. Focus your efforts on attacking the Yin Mao Building and attempt to seize the Earth Sacred Spring."

Finally, Mu He slammed the communicator down hard, his chest aching with fury. According to the original plan, it was almost foolproof. He couldn't figure out where things had gone wrong.