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

And then a nickname spread: Lu Ren Tu!

The entire Pearl Academy agreed he was a madman. Even the scions of the Great Noble Families avoided him, as they had obtained more intel... Curse Element.

Dean Xiao watched this wave of public opinion manipulation and smiled without a word. He left with a flick of his sleeve. The Academy students still lacked a sense of urgency; Lu Jun's little shockwave came at the right time.

Chapter 63: Capture and Reward

Lu Jun was unaware he had caused such a huge stir. Before even entering the Academy, he had gained the apprehension and fear of all Pearl Academy students.

If he knew, he wouldn't care. He wished for it. Showing his fangs and building a madman persona had too many benefits. In this world, good people were bullied, while those with unpleasant personalities received better treatment.

When Lu Mei and Night Hawk arrived at the abandoned factory, they gasped at the sight of corpses everywhere, their eyes wide open in death.

As they walked inside, they saw a young man sitting cross-legged on a chair in the darkness. Beside him was a black Pool of Curses, and his left foot was stepping on the head of Yu Ang, who was submerged in the pool.

Upon seeing her brother, Lu Mei rushed forward and gently hugged him, asking softly, "Are you alright?"

"I'm... fine," Lu Jun said, unnaturally breaking free from his sister's embrace. He then spoke to the winged man behind her, "You must be Night Hawk. I've heard of you from Judge Tang."

Night Hawk nodded, forcing a stiff smile. "Lu Jun from the Battle of Bo City, I've long admired your name."

Bo City had suffered little damage in the battle; it was instead a propaganda material the officials could present.

"Just a false reputation," Lu Jun smiled politely. As he stood up, he kicked the dog-like Yu Ang away.

He gestured, "I've already extracted the intel from his head. There's a Blue Robe Deacon in Magic City. The address is... If you don't believe me, you can find a specialized Mind Mage to verify it."

Hearing this, Night Hawk immediately became serious. He made a call, summoning the Adjudication Court to assign a mission and launch an operation.

Seeing Lu Jun's astonished expression, he smiled. "Of course, I believe a city Guardian. Besides, you've caused such a commotion. We can barely contain it tonight. If we don't act quickly, it'll be leaked by morning, and that Blue Robe Deacon will have already fled."

Lu Jun nodded, feeling a strange sensation, as if in a game. He had defended Bo City and received a badge, [Bo City Sword Immortal], which he wore on his head. It gleamed golden and provided +10 Reputation and +50 Persuasion with any official Mage.

Soon after, Mages from the Adjudication Court arrived one after another and began interrogating Yu Ang for intel. After verification, they dispatched teams of adjudicators to round up all the rats in the gutters.

Even Night Hawk left in a hurry, saying he had found a trace of the Blue Robe Deacon.

The operation continued from the latter half of the night until dawn.

Lu Jun and his sister stayed in the abandoned factory until Tang Yue's hurried figure appeared. She chided, "Why were you so reckless? You should have waited until everyone was here."

Only a few days had passed, but Lu Jun saw the fatigue on Tang Yue's beautiful face as she arrived, dusty and travel-worn. He was touched. He waved his hand and said, "Thank you. We need to kill these Black Vatican members ruthlessly, or they'll linger like ghosts."

"Tsk, a few lives aren't enough for you," Tang Yue playfully patted Lu Jun's head. Her bright, beautiful eyes looked at Lu Mei and said, "Having a brother like this must be so troublesome for you."

Lu Mei showed a helpless yet doting expression. "He's always had his own ideas since he was little. What could I do?"

Seeing this, Lu Jun, though enjoying the care from his two sisters, felt something was off. They had only known each other for a short while, yet they were chatting so familiarly, like best friends.

Soon, Lu Mei turned and, holding Tang Yue's hand, raised an eyebrow. "This is Sister Tang Yue. She'll be your god-sister from now on too, so show her some respect."

Tang Yue chuckled like a seductive fox. She placed her jade-like hand on Lu Jun's head and ruffled his hair fiercely, saying sternly, "Did you hear that? I'm your sister now too. You need to respect me from the bottom of your heart."

Lu Jun understood the unspoken meaning: don't mention the Xishui Town incident. It was a blatant threat.

He pouted, wondering what kind of magic potion she had given his sister.

A moment later, as daylight broke, Night Hawk returned, looking weary. He smiled at Lu Jun and said, "Very good. We captured a Blue Robe Deacon. We might be able to find Salang by following this lead."

Lu Jun just listened. Cardinals weren't that easy to catch. In the original story, even after capturing so many Blue Robe Deacons, they still hadn't caught Salang.

However, dealing with this Blue Robe Deacon in Magic City a year and a half early would reduce many unnecessary sacrifices.

Night Hawk said sincerely, "Thank you again. The government will provide a reward. Do you know that the Adjudication Court's bounty is one hundred and twenty million for a Blue Robe Deacon's head, and twenty million for a Gray Robe Cleric's head? You'll get at least twenty million from the former, plus the latter makes forty million."

Hearing about the tangible rewards, Lu Jun's eyes lit up. The prices were actually the same as in the original story, though most people felt it was too little.

After all, the danger of fighting the Black Vatican was too great.

Tang Yue saw Lu Jun's greedy look and nudged him, scolding, "Don't be blinded by money. You risked your life for this. You should study and cultivate honestly at university and stop getting involved in these things."

Perhaps it was the joint operation in Xishui Town that had brought Tang Yue closer to him. Although it wasn't romantic love, she now treated Lu Jun like a younger brother.

He nodded perfunctorily, "Got it."

Lu Mei, seeing Lu Jun's puzzled expression, covered her mouth and chuckled softly. She said wistfully, "This is good. Now someone can keep you in line. It's getting harder and harder for me to manage you as you grow older."

Lu Jun had just dealt with one person, and upon hearing his sister's long, mournful words, his scalp tingled. He knew Lu Mei was also upset, both blaming him for his impulsive actions and blaming herself for not protecting her brother well enough.

So, he quickly took his sister's fair, slender hand and nodded, "It's okay. I won't do it again next time."

Lu Mei felt her hand being held, enveloped in warmth, and her face flushed red. She said no more.

At that moment, Lu Jun felt troubled. He didn't realize that the official Mages nearby saw this and were so jealous and envious they couldn't speak. Who wouldn't want two beautiful sisters to comfort them after an assassination attempt?

They thought Lu Jun was a winner in life.

Night Hawk maintained his cold, detached expression, oblivious to such situations.

Lu Jun, however, asked, "Did you get all the intel from Yu Ang?"

"Yes, why?"

"Nothing." Lu Jun walked up to Yu Ang, who was already foaming at the mouth and looked dazed, and looked down at him, saying, "Cut the weeds and remove the roots."

Pfft!

As he spoke, his hand unleashed the Dark Gold Flying Sword, which shot out and pierced Yu Ang's head. Red and white fluid splattered.

Everyone looked sideways, unable to suppress their fear. The young man's expression was cold and his actions decisive. Where was the obedient big boy from in front of his sister just now? Also… anyone who dared to oppose the Black Vatican was a ruthless character.

A year and a half later in the original timeline, Mo Fan failed to kill Yu Ang, allowing him to narrowly escape. Years later, he stirred up trouble again, using Mo Fan's father and family as threats.

Lu Jun learned his lesson from this. The Black Vatican members who were dead were good Black Vatican members. The future Xu Zhaoting would likely have a perfect life.

This matter was considered closed. Lu Jun packed up the Pool of Curses and left. The Adjudication Court didn't say anything. Even the court later sent condolences. A hero who fought against the Black Vatican was assassinated under their watch; they had to provide an explanation.

Chapter 64: Curse Element Intermediate Level

A few days passed in a flash, and the Yu Ang incident was resolved.

However, various versions of the story circulated among the residents of Magic City. Fortunately, the Adjudication Court stepped in to provide an explanation, which calmed things down.

The matter only caused ripples online. Only a very small portion of people on the internet saw something from some blurry videos.

"Huh, isn't this Mage who killed Black Vatican members the one from Bo City? He looks a bit like him."

"I heard he's a freshman at Pearl, a generation's butcher, a ruthless character. Who knows?"

Unfortunately, even with the discussions, it didn't cause much of a stir. Within a few weeks, the heat from the Battle of Bo City had also died down. Of course, the people of Jiuzhou remembered this event. When it was brought up again at a certain point, their memories would quickly resurface.

Lu Jun quickly received a grant from the city government, a full fifty million. Combined with his original savings of twenty million, he was unknowingly not far from the Star River Vein.

As expected, reborn into a world of all magic, confronting the Black Vatican was the way to go. It was the fastest way to make money.

Even his sister, Lu Mei, was surprised. She said that even if they gathered enough, she would still need to refine it for a while longer. After all, the Star River Vein wasn't a guaranteed advancement; it was best to reach a critical point before breaking through.

Afterward, Lu Jun packed up the Pool of Curses and went to Pearl Academy, intending to rely on Dean Xiao to find someone to handle it. It was also time to look for suitable metal magic.

In the Academy's office, Dean Xiao adjusted his glasses and said with a gentle smile, "I heard about your situation. Be careful. Although you haven't officially enrolled yet, I still want to say that Pearl is proud of you."

Lu Jun was flattered, "Thank you, Dean Xiao, for your kindness."

"Hahaha, no need to be so formal. I'll find someone to handle your curse materials. It'll be here in a week at most."

Dean Xiao smiled and added, "Oh, and thank you for motivating our Pearl students?"

As he spoke, Lu Jun's forehead darkened. He had naturally joined various group chats for Pearl Academy. Seeing the widespread propaganda of the title "Lu the Butcher" on the forums, he felt utterly ashamed. He'd rather be called "Lu the Sword Immortal."

He hadn't even entered Pearl yet, but the students there had already memorized his appearance, treating him like a formidable enemy.

"Alright, wait for good news."

Lu Jun left the Academy and returned home. His sister was also diligently cultivating. Due to the unexpected incident, they dared not venture out again until the start of the semester, waiting for the situation to blow over.

The Demon Hunting endeavor was temporarily halted, though intelligence gathering continued.

Not long after, someone from the Academy arrived and handed Lu Jun a sealed glass measuring cup, explaining its usage.

"Curse Material · [Curse Mark]!"

Lu Jun held the measuring cup in his hand. Inside, a mass of dark green, eerie mist swirled, seeming to writhe with a certain sentience.

Dark materials, curse materials, were somewhat like contracted beasts, but without sentience. They were microorganisms acting on instinct, bound by magic and growing alongside it.

The effect of the [Curse Mark] was extremely crude and simple: enemies hit by a Curse Element skill would be marked with a Curse Mark. If not immediately erased with Magic Energy, it would deepen over time.

During this process, the afflicted body was also eroded by the curse, increasing pain and suffering continuous corrosive damage. When the accumulation reached a certain point, Lu Jun could choose to detonate the Curse Mark, inflicting massive soul and physical damage.

Even if they survived, there would be severe after-effects, such as widespread festering corrosion like that of a Black Beast Demon, shortened lifespan, bizarre limb mutations, and so on.

"Tsk tsk tsk, isn't this curse material stronger than a top-grade Spirit Seed? The previously rather mediocre Fearful Haze finally has a great use, and every Curse Element magic will accelerate the deepening of the 'Curse Mark'."

Seeing this, Lu Jun was overjoyed. The Curse Element had truly risen.

And it wasn't just the Fearful Haze; the Intermediate level Evil Spider Trap was even more terrifying. It applied group markings, provided large-scale control, and dealt large-scale dual damage, with souls being siphoned by evil spiders while bodies were eroded by the Curse Mark.

Even if they managed to break free, they would face the final blow.

Moreover, this attack method was completely different from Gold and Water. It was a strange and difficult technique, extremely effective against tough enemies. Ordinary mages would find it hard to detect being marked by the Curse Mark, and even if they did, removing it would be fraught with difficulties.

Upon receiving the curse material, Lu Jun immediately went into seclusion to cultivate.

Lu Mei, who was nearby, glanced at this scene and smiled faintly, ignoring it.

Buzz buzz buzz!

In the room, Lu Jun opened the bottle. A wisp of dark green condensed smoke rose and flowed smoothly from his fingers into his Spiritual World, carrying a surge of powerful and ominous curse energy.

He immersed himself in cultivation. Black and red curse stardust suddenly surged into the dark green condensed smoke, rapidly spreading and infecting the seven Star Seeds. Accompanied by powerful energy, it impacted a layer of light film barrier.

One point… two points… three points. More and more weak points were corroded.

In a short while, the barrier became dilapidated. With a slight mental push, it was instantly broken.

Rumble! The stardust began to expand like a balloon, instantly growing seven to eight times larger. The seven Star Seeds instantly transformed into forty-nine Star Seeds.

Curse Element promotion to Intermediate level!

Furthermore, an ominous aura emanated from Lu Jun's entire body. His skin appeared slightly pale. He opened his eyes, each reflecting a swirl of dark green substance, slowly flowing, as if some strange creature was locked within.

A wave of chilling energy spread, turning the bedroom into a haunted house, bathed in a faint green glow.

Lu Jun raised his left hand, and a complex, eerie dark green pattern spread across his fair wrist, representing the curse material – Curse Mark.

"Dark magic, bearing curses, utilizing curses?"

He muttered to himself. Using the Curse Mark also had a slight side effect: he himself would be eroded. However, because this curse wasn't too potent, the price was minimal, practically negligible.

With the physical reinforcement brought by the Water Element Spirit Seed Tide, he barely managed to become immune.

Lu Jun remembered Zhan Kong's teachings: the Curse Element feeds on mental bonuses, not for fighting Mages, but for battling the curse one carries.

The stronger the curse one bears, the more powerful the Curse Mage becomes.

Legend tells of the Scarecrow Curse, where a Grand Curse Mage would inflict self-harm, causing the enemy to suffer even more severe damage—a technique that harms the enemy by a thousand while damaging oneself by eight hundred.

There's also the Vampire Curse, which fears holy light but strengthens the body. And the Ghost Curse, allowing one to exist in reality as a spirit, immortal and indestructible, at the cost of no longer being seen by others.

Then there's the Egyptian Pharaoh's Curse, transforming into a mummy for eternal life, but ceasing to be human.

Even the Zu Family's Body Possession Curse technique is essentially a curse, akin to the Ma Family Immortals from the northeastern regions, neither good nor evil, inviting spirits to possess one's body.

The price is among the lowest for such powerful curses, offering excellent value. As long as one's mental realm is strong enough to control the spirit of a Demonic Beast and suppress its beastly nature, they can continuously wield it.

This is why the Zu Family stands out and leads the pack. Of course, clansmen who haven't cultivated properly tend to be a bit foolish, like the several Zu Family members later on.

In comparison, Lu Jun's Curse Mark is trivial. Its power can crush his peers, but it's still a far cry from the Grand Mages in society.

However, he was already very satisfied.

Chapter 65: Going to University

In the blink of an eye, it was September, the summer month, and the start of the school year.

Lu Jun and his sister had been quiet for a month and a half. Ever since his Curse Element broke through to the Intermediate level, he had been diligently grasping the Star Seeds. With two experiences under his belt, he could now barely release them, though his casting speed was very slow.