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

Mu He looked at Yu Ang kneeling on the ground and kicked him flying. He wished he could personally take action, but he still had a more important mission and couldn't afford to be exposed. Salang Bishop's plan was more important.

Drip, drop.

Lu Jun stood atop the towering Yin Mao Building and suddenly started slightly. He reached out his hand, feeling a bit of coolness spread across his palm. The rooftop wind grew stronger, and the night sky was thick with clouds, dim and lightless.

"It's going to rain," he muttered to himself. As expected, Palm Leader Wu Ku had made his move. A Super Rank mage, combined with a half-Calamity Bringer of the Water Element, could wield the mighty power of Call Wind Summon Rain, altering the weather of an entire region.

In the future, it could even be more terrifying—twisting the climate of an entire nation, creating an even greater disaster.

Whoosh!

Soon, rain began to fall, pattering down, growing heavier and heavier. The moisture in the air surged, and Water Element energy thickened. The only strange thing was that the rainwater was very murky, carrying a certain odor.

He stared at the water quality in his palm and recognized it at once—Frenzied Spring.

By then, the operation in Bo City had already concluded. Thick smoke rolled down from all directions, and all the underground tunnels had been destroyed. It took less than half an hour, and strangely enough, there had been no attacks from the Black Vatican during that time.

Just as Yang Zuohe was about to speak, he abruptly looked toward the outskirts of Bo City. Three beams of white light shot into the sky, illuminating a large area.

He stood there stunned. As the head of the Bo City Magic Association, he instead showed a terrified expression and said tremblingly, "Three beams of light—demon invasion, Blood Alert, City-Slaughtering Disaster."

In an instant, Yang Zuohe hurriedly opened his communicator and issued orders: "Attention all mages in the city, Blood Alert. Quickly organize civilians by household and take shelter within the Safe Zone."

Fortunately, it was a rest day, and everyone was staying home peacefully. With the earlier warning, there was no panic, and they were organized in an orderly manner.

On top of the Yin Mao Building, Yang Zuohe breathed a sigh of relief and said to Lu Jun gratefully, "Good thing you warned me in advance to block the sewers leading out of the city. Otherwise, caught between internal and external threats, Bo City would have collapsed at the first blow, and who knows how many would have died."

Lu Jun frowned, gazing toward the edge of Bo City, wondering how things were going there and whether they could hold out.

In the original story, because of the internal chaos, the experts from the Great Noble Families, including Deng Kai of the Demon Hunting Alliance, Yang Zuohe of the Magic Association, and others, were all busy clearing out the thousands of demons inside the city while also rescuing people—a complete mess.

The external horde was entirely held back by the military, who were then forced to abandon the entire defensive line.

Yang Zuohe kept communicating information and directing his subordinates. Suddenly, a magnificent golden light screen rose over the city, like an inverted golden bowl, enveloping most of the area.

A moment later, Yang Zuohe said gravely to Captain Liang, "Bad news. I just received word that the leader of the One-Eyed Magic Wolf pack has moved out—a Commander-level Winged Azure Wolf, along with over a hundred General-level demons. We're very short-handed."

"I'm about to go reinforce them. Here..."

Captain Liang understood and said solemnly, "Don't worry, I'll guard the Earth Sacred Spring well. Besides, with Hunter Lu Mei and Judge Tang Yue—both experts no weaker than you—keeping watch, it's foolproof."

"Mm." Yang Zuohe nodded and sighed. "What I'm worried about now is the hidden Black Vatican. But repelling the demon invasion is more important. When the time comes, wake Mo Fan and have him, along with a few Intermediate Mages, escort the two students and the Earth Sacred Spring into the Safe Zone."

He glanced at Lu Jun, signaling to Captain Liang. He also felt it should be fine, so he would just observe quietly. Tang Yue and Lu Mei were both peak Intermediate Mages with dual elements, far stronger than him.

Yang Zuohe's body glowed with cyan light, and a fierce wind howled. With a single use of the basic Wind Orbit · Floating Shadow, he turned into a blur, leaping between the tall buildings, and vanished from Lu Jun's sight in the blink of an eye.

Before that, the heads of the Great Noble Families at the Mu Family Manor, along with Zhan Kong, Deng Kai, Principal Zhu, and other main forces of Bo City, had all gathered. They first frowned at Yang Zuohe's broadcast, wondering what he was up to, but now with the Blood Alert, they suddenly snapped to attention.

"Hurry, everyone, quickly head to the Snow Mountain Outpost to resist the demon horde."

Mu Zhuoyun shouted nervously. Everyone reacted swiftly, and since they were already together, it didn't take long to gather all the mages and head to the city's edge to reinforce.

Zhan Kong simply released a high-level Wind Element spell, [Wind Wings], and rushed over first.

All the high-level officials of Bo City arrived at the border, with Yang Zuohe being the last. When he reached the border outpost, he was stunned by the scene before him, his soul and body trembling.

Howl... howl... howl... whimper...

Behind the mountain range, a series of heart-pounding roars merged into one, as if thunder were constantly exploding behind the peaks, shaking the entire stretch of hills.

The tremors reached the outpost, and the massive stone checkpoint swayed slightly.

In the vast curtain of rain, a blurry figure first leaped up, appearing abruptly at the top of a tall pine tree in the distance.

That terrifying creature clearly had the body of a wolf but stood half-crouched like a human. On its hideous head, three eyes blazed with ferocious red light.

Three-Eyed Magic Wolves, Bone-Spike Ferocious Wolves, and other General-level wolf demons emerged, each with a massive body. A rough count put them at over a hundred. Considering that one General-level could handle seven or eight first-tier Intermediate Mages, Bo City would need at least several hundred Intermediate Mages to hold them off.

Beyond that, at the end of the mountain range, wave after wave of Servant-level magic wolves surged forward like a tide. The number of dark figures grew and grew, their blood-red, vicious eyes dotting the hazy rain like stars. One look sent chills down the spine and made the scalp tingle!

From a high vantage point, a 'blue-black' tide covered the hills, spreading inch by inch from the horizon. Over a dozen nearby small hills were packed with a dense, black mass.

Thousands of Servant-level demons—an overwhelming number.

And it wasn't over. As the wolf pack howled in unison, a colossal figure flew across the gray sky. Its entire body was silver-white, and when it spread its fleshy wings, they spanned thirty meters, Sky-Shading. A heavy pressure swept through the area.

Commander-level Winged Azure Wolf!

This beast landed gracefully in the center of the wolf pack, like a king surrounded by his court, aloof and proud. In an instant, the howling pack fell silent, transitioning from extreme noise to extreme stillness. The sound of the Torrential Rain became clear, and an indescribable sense of oppression descended like a blanket.

At the edge of the outpost, over a thousand Military Mages stood in formation at the front, with two to three thousand demon hunters and freelance mages behind them.

The former, seasoned in battle, stood unmoving like mountains. The latter, however, panicked, stirring restlessly in the crowd. It couldn't be helped—there wasn't a single person in Bo City who could stop a Commander-level creature, let alone such a terrifyingly organized demon horde.

Standing at the very front, Zhan Kong had a resolute face, his dark green Military Coat fluttering in the wind.

On his left and right stood rows of Military Mages in the same cyan windbreakers. Their coats lifted high, their straight bodies stood at the very edge of the watchtower, utterly still, exuding an unspoken authority as they stood there like carved statues.

Zhan Kong said in a full, powerful voice, "Everyone, don't be afraid. It's just a small Commander-level beast. I could solo one a few years ago; now it's just a snack for me."

"I'll handle the Commander-level. You all hold the line for now. I've already notified the nearby cities—reinforcements will be here soon."

He said sternly, "Remember, behind us are our families and loved ones. There is no retreat."

In the curtain of rain, Lu Jun watched Yang Zuohe's gradually receding figure, his inner vigilance reaching its peak. He knew well that the Black Vatican would never give up on the Earth Sacred Spring. Was this a feint to lure them away?

As for the border, he figured there was no need to worry too much. Zhan Kong had already been a member of the National Prefecture Team several years ago.

The National Prefecture Team convened once every four years, also known as the Venice Competition. It was a global competition among universities, representing the reserve strength of each nation. Comparable to the Olympics on Blue Star, it was even more prestigious.

Thus, Zhan Kong was a top-tier expert even among the world's universities. He had reached the High Level long ago and had definitely solo-killed a Commander-level demon.

Now, Lu Jun's side was the key. Fortunately, neither Captain Liang nor Yang Zuohe subconsciously considered him a combat asset. The Black Vatican probably thought the same, little knowing the sharpness of the blade that would stab them in the back.

After Yang Zuohe left, Captain Liang said to him regretfully, "Let's go. We'll head to the basement and wake up that student. It's a pity—this was supposed to be a great opportunity, but with this turn of events, we can only soak him in the spring after the disaster calms down."

But Lu Jun didn't move. He looked down at the rows of buildings in Bo City and said flatly, "Too late. The Black Vatican is here."

Boom!

As the words fell, a series of explosions rang out through the torrential rain. Captain Liang rushed to the railing and looked down, seeing flames shooting up from streets and alleys, undimmed even by the downpour.

Explosions sounded everywhere. The crowd, which had been evacuating in an orderly manner, instantly panicked. Chaos began to spread.

Then Lu Jun's sharp eyes caught sight of countless black shadows darting out from all directions in the darkness—some from sewers, some from individual houses. They moved at incredible speed, turning into afterimages as they charged toward the most conspicuous building in the center: the Yin Mao Building.

A quick scan revealed at least several hundred of them.

In addition, black-robed figures emerged, their hands igniting with magic as they indiscriminately bombarded areas where people were gathered.

Captain Liang was startled. He recognized those black shadows. Their entire bodies were pitch-black, with monkey-like faces and twisted, shriveled limbs that sent a chill down one's spine.

"Those are the Black Vatican's Black Beast Demons. Damn it, we can't leave now."

He hurried downstairs, saying, "I'll go retrieve that student and the Earth Sacred Spring first. Follow me. I'll see if I can try to break through with you and regroup with the scattered squads outside."

But the next second, Lu Jun's earpiece crackled with his elder sister's urgent voice: "Lu Jun, wait there. I've got Black Vatican members attacking civilians over here, causing a blockade. I won't be able to reach you in a short while."

Tang Yue, Lin Yuxin, and the others were all delayed by various reasons, scattered across Bo City. By the time they destroyed the tunnels and started heading back, the Black Vatican had already struck.

Lu Jun understood the enemy's strategy: divide and surround, exploit weaknesses, and break them one by one. First, use a portion of their forces as a diversion, then concentrate the main force to crush the weak points.

With Yang Zuohe gone, the Yin Mao Building was left vulnerable.

In his memory, the Black Vatican had only a few notable figures, but there were plenty of low-ranking cultists and priests. They had once mobilized to surround and kill the mages who destroyed the tunnels, nearly wiping them out.

Now, with this sudden assault, the forces they had pulled together were staggering.

Captain Liang had already gone downstairs to retrieve the Earth Sacred Spring from the basement.

Facing the impending crisis, Lu Jun instead revealed a mocking, arrogant smile. "I've been waiting for you to show up. My hands have been itching for a fight."

A faint platinum-gold light surged in his eyes. He raised his hand and traced a line, almost instantly forming a Gold Element Primary Level Star Orbit. A Vibranium Heavy Sword descended, about three feet long—roughly 1.2 meters—and slammed heavily into the ground.

Then, Lu Jun began to trace the star chart for a Gold Element Intermediate Level Magic, the first tier: [Artifact Control · Flight]. Ever since he had fully mastered the star seeds a year ago, his control had grown increasingly refined through hunting demons.

Hum hum hum!

In three seconds, a platinum-gold star chart slowly unfolded beneath Lu Jun's feet. Forty-nine star seeds arranged and combined, seven star orbits interweaving with each other. A surge of magical power erupted from the star chart, carrying a faint, sharp magnetic force.

Soon, under the magnetic pull, his legs left the ground. Floating half-suspended by the magnetic field, he stepped onto the very top of the Yin Mao Building—a single antenna. Around him, the wind howled and the rain poured. He stood proudly amidst the curtain of rain, his windbreaker flapping, looking down upon Bo City.

Whoosh!

The Vibranium Heavy Sword was pulled up by the immense magnetic force, turning into a pitch-black flying sword that shot out like lightning, weaving through the rain curtain and flying eight hundred meters in an instant.

Its size and the effect of the golden radiance were triggered.

It expanded in the wind to over three zhang—nearly twelve meters—like a heavy heavenly sword as large as a small villa, wrapped in a platinum-gold glow. It broke the sound barrier, stirring up a massive airwave. Wherever it passed, the rain curtain rolled back, layer upon layer like tidal waves, a magnificent sight.

Screech!

Everyone within Bo City heard a sharp, piercing sound, like a supersonic fighter jet flying low overhead, stabbing at their eardrums. In the blink of an eye, they saw a massive platinum-gold light appear across the night sky.

Boom!

The three-zhang Vibranium Heavy Sword crashed down like a super-heavy truck. Its immense kinetic energy pushed straight through all the small houses along the way, unstoppable. Row after row of cement walls collapsed. An entire street was filled with rolling smoke and flying rubble.

The twenty-plus Black Beast Demons that had just appeared on that street didn't even have time to react before they were slammed head-on by the Vibranium Heavy Sword.

Pfft, pfft. Like skewering meat on a stick, or a meat grinder, one after another was crushed into pulp. Flesh and blood splattered, limbs flew through the air, blooming like crimson lotuses, exploding into a mist of blood that filled the sky.

The area shook continuously. Finally, the three-zhang heavy sword came to a stop, its blade tip buried halfway into the ground.

Tang Yue, standing by the street, was dumbfounded. She had been surrounded by Black Beast Demons from all angles, but this single sword fell from the sky, sweeping away all enemies, leaving only a handful remaining.

She felt like she was dreaming. She didn't know if this pitch-black "truck" in front of her could still be called a sword. It was stuck diagonally in the ground, taller than her entire body.

Before long, Lu Jun's calm voice came through Tang Yue's earpiece: "The Black Beast Demons in your area have been cleared. Escort the civilians into the Safe Zone and support the border."

She turned abruptly, looking up through the torrential rain at the hundred-meter building standing tall in the center. A blurry figure stood at its peak, an unrivalled presence at Bo City's most prominent landmark.

Tang Yue was somewhat incredulous, murmuring, "Was that you just now? What kind of magic tool is that... Wait, if I leave, what about the Earth Sacred Spring?"

Atop the skyscraper, Lu Jun held a cluster of platinum-gold light in each hand. One hand pressed against his earpiece as he said flatly, with a hint of arrogance, "It doesn't matter. I'll handle it."

He lowered the earpiece, frowning as the biting wind and cold rain stung his skin. With a thought, he activated his Water Element star seeds, releasing the Primary Level spell: Tide · Water Shield · Cycle.

In an instant, countless water vapors in the air converged. Vast Water Element energy condensed into several endlessly flowing azure streams, swirling around him within a radius of about three meters, tightly enveloping him without a single gap.

All the storm winds and water vapor were isolated away. Lu Jun's soaked clothes became dry and crisp. Under the heavy rain, the Water Shield's power seemed to have increased considerably.

Of course, as he hovered high in the sky surrounded by the Azure Ring Current, his target became all the more conspicuous.

Chapter 42: Metal Element, Slay Demons and Exterminate Devils

Lu Jun stood atop a straight antenna, overlooking Bo City from above. The dense clusters of buildings were clearly visible, and his expression was somewhat dazed.

In the original story, the Winged Azure Wolf had lurked atop the Yin Mao Building, plunging human society into fear and trembling, like a king surveying its domain. Now, it was he who stood beneath the canopy of the sky, making all the Black Vatican members tremble in terror.

Time and space reversed, scenes swapped—there was a dreamlike sense of the impermanence of the world.

The gears of fate had turned, already altering the course of progress.

He was silent for a moment, then broke into a wanton smile and murmured softly: "Ten steps, one kill; a thousand miles without leaving traces. Play Sword, Cultivate Body, Ride the Wind; Slay Demons and Exterminate Devils Between Heaven and Earth!"

One could call Lu Jun chuunibyou, but that spirit of defying fate was impossible to suppress. Vaguely, it seemed he had grasped the true essence of the sword cultivator path.

A clump of platinum-white light shone in Lu Jun's right hand as he slowly raised it. On the ground far away, the twelve-meter-long Black Gold Heavy Sword trembled slightly, its massive body dragging itself up with a heavy groan before roaring into the sky in an instant. Meanwhile, his left hand clenched, rapidly shrinking into a three-foot sword glow that pulsed with sharp, biting energy, utterly unremarkable.

Buzz buzz buzz!

Then, under the reinforcement of his will and the control of both hands, the Vibranium Flying Sword shuttled through the city, like a brushstroke painting vivid lines across a muddy canvas.

In the rainy night curtain, killing intent was thick. From time to time, waves of air slashed across, crisscrossing in all directions, splashing up great sheets of rain with overwhelming momentum. Blossoms of blood bloomed in the dark night—miserable yet brilliant.

The dim, rainy night was pitch black; one should have been able to see nothing. But Lu Jun's spiritual will spread outward, locking onto each heart-lake like a beacon, precisely sniping them down. In an instant, over thirty Black Beast Demons were wiped out.