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

Buzz buzz buzz!

Lu Jun's eyes surged with powerful mental energy, projecting across the distance to several General-level Crocodile Demons. He shattered their "Mind Lake Barriers," throwing them into chaos and making them mistake him for a White Sturgeon Demon.

With murderous intent, they swarmed towards him. Immediately, their formation shifted, with three to four massive crocodiles, dozens of meters long, surrounding him and tearing into Servant-level Giant Crocodiles.

Squelch!

A General-level Crocodile Demon surfaced on the lake, its huge claws slamming down. A Giant Crocodile's head instantly exploded like a watermelon, blood splattering everywhere. It opened its giant maw and bit down, tearing another Giant Crocodile in half at the spine.

For a moment, all the Servant-level Crocodile Demons stopped attacking, looking around in confusion. They couldn't understand what was happening with their leader, why it had turned on them. Even the White Sturgeon Demon, acting as the brains, was controlled and unable to issue commands.

The crocodile pack descended into chaos, leaderless.

Lu Jun unleashed his Mind Element and Curse Element simultaneously, managing to tie up over half of the crocodile pack's combat power. Its effectiveness was undeniable.

Ordinary Mind or Curse Mages weren't this powerful; it was purely due to his mental realm that he could control several Generals at once.

Of course, Lu Jun had undergone special training with Ding Yumian, which allowed him to easily break through the minds of the General-level Crocodile Demons. Then, using his body's Water Element aura, he disguised himself, and this could only last for a short while at best.

Chapter 90: Blood Flowing Like a Raging River

Splash!

Under Lu Jun's control, two Servant-level crocodiles moved to Lu Mei and Tang Yue's sides. They stepped onto the crocodiles' backs, carrying the three of them swiftly back to shore.

Then, while he still had a little time, Lu Jun's eyes reflected a transparent rosy glow. He fiercely whipped the minds of several General-level Crocodile Demons, driving them into a frenzy.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Several Generals roared in pain, their minds writhing. They thrashed their massive bodies wildly, charging and crashing, their attacks leaving Servant-level crocodiles splattered with blood and gore.

The other dozens of General-level Crocodile Demons sensed something was wrong and let out low growls, calling their subordinates to resist. They swarmed forward and killed these three to four General-level companions.

Of course, this came at a heavy price. Two to three General-level crocodiles were dragged down and severely injured, barely clinging to life. Dozens more Servant-level crocodiles were bitten to death.

After Lu Mei and Tang Yue were safe, they didn't rest. Each controlled their Star Map, weaving together storms and flames, forming nine fire tornadoes that swept across the lake, spreading a scorching sea of fire.

Over a hundred crocodiles, immobilized by the Evil Spider Trap, turned into charred corpses, filling the air with the smell of burnt meat.

Lu Jun released his Mind Control, concentrating all his extracted energy on the Evil Spider Trap. After a period of erosion, dense, dark green Curse Marks had spread across the exposed backs of the trapped crocodiles, having fully infiltrated them.

Snap! He snapped his fingers, his will decisively detonating the Curse Marks.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Silently, the flesh on the backs of the Crocodile Demons exploded, blood splattering everywhere. Simultaneously, their souls were harvested. Their foreheads bulged, blood trickled from their noses and mouths, and it was clear they wouldn't survive.

Even those who miraculously didn't die immediately had flesh on their backs turn a dark green, vibrant in color, filled with the sinister aura of curses.

Caw! At this moment, the White Sturgeon Demons finally broke free from the Curse Net. Seeing their subordinates dying in droves and suffering heavy losses, they let out furious cries, water mist swirling around them as their immense demonic power surged.

The lake churned restlessly, as if about to be stirred up again.

Seeing this, Lu Jun sneered. He hadn't understood before, caught off guard by the surprise attack. Now that he was discovered, they dared to make a move?

The next moment, his eyes flashed with an eerie dark green light. From hundreds of meters away, he stared at several White Sturgeon Demons, instantly interrupting their spellcasting.

The White Sturgeon Demons looked terrified, caught in the gaze of a pair of crimson eyes. They didn't know that the Curse Marks on their foreheads had deepened, and dark green patterns now covered their entire bodies.

"Die!" Lu Jun's will solidified, detonating the Curse Marks.

Following this, a series of familiar explosions rang out. The bodies of several General-level White Sturgeon Demons were instantly pulverized, blood and tissue flying everywhere, a rain of blood scattering and merging into the vast lake.

Lu Jun's expression was indifferent. He hadn't released the Curse Marks directly earlier; he was merely deepening the imprints, ensuring the White Sturgeon Demons would be killed with 100% certainty.

The stacking of Curse Marks had varying strengths, generally determined by the area of the body covered by the patterns. If the entire body was covered, then anyone below the General level would surely die.

In just this short while, over two hundred Servant-level demonic beasts were killed or injured, about ten General-level ones died, and the remaining four to five hundred crocodiles began to retreat, wanting to return to the main river through the river mouth.

However, Lu Jun and the other two wouldn't let this group of demonic beasts escape.

He shouted, "Sister, bind them."

Lu Mei controlled her Star Map and cast [Mountain · Rock Barrier · Consecutive Mountains]. The lake churned violently. At the narrow entrance to the lake, waves rolled, and stone walls roared to life, stacking one after another, hard and exuding a heavy aura.

Due to the narrow entrance, only a few large crocodiles could charge through at a time. The crocodile pack was temporarily blocked at the lake entrance, trapped with no way in or out.

Tang Yue's Shadow Element aura surged, and a dark night Star Map appeared beneath her feet. Several clusters of shadow silently drifted forward, transforming into giant nails that pierced the shadows of the giant crocodiles, immobilizing several General-level crocodiles.

This was the limit of the Shadow Element; it was a single-target strong control, only able to lock down a few extremely powerful Generals.

In addition, Lu Jun's scattered Evil Spider Traps were also taking effect, transforming into dark green nets that ensnared groups of Crocodile Demons.

This wave of attacks directly trapped the hundreds of crocodiles into a dense, layered mass.

Buzz buzz buzz!

Lu Jun finally freed up his hands, controlling Gold Element Intermediate Level Magic once more. Artifact Control · Differentiation. The Vibranium Heavy Sword rose from the ground, hovering beside him as a three-foot-long white-gold sword light.

The sword light pierced the sky, flashing past in an instant, soaring through the heavens with a sharp whistle, almost blending into the overcast sky.

Then, Lu Jun waved his hands downwards. Instantly, a pillar of white light descended from the sky like a giant missile. Mid-air, it split into seven Heavenly Swords, each twelve meters tall.

Thump thump thump!

One by one, the mountain-like heavy swords crashed down, piercing the densest part of the crocodile pack. The booming sounds were continuous, accompanied by the squelch of flesh being torn. The lake seemed to boil and churn.

Across the vast lake surface, seven towering "sword hills" covered half of it. A massive amount of blood gushed out from beneath, pouring out freely, completely dyeing the lake red. The stench of blood was overwhelming, and the water turned viscous.

This wouldn't dissipate anytime soon; "blood flowing like a raging river" described the current situation.

Lu Jun had eliminated over two hundred Crocodile Demons this time. Even a General-level Demonic Beast would surely die if struck in the core.

The Gold Element's destructive power was displayed to its fullest. The secondary differentiation expanded the area of effect for group attacks several times over. Moreover, the same level of damage didn't require the Water Element's Star Nebula to accumulate and spread across the field multiple times, even draining his Magic Energy.

Afterward, Lu Jun and the other two quickly mopped up the scattered crocodile horde, their corpses drifting in the blood lake.

Seeing this, Tang Yue couldn't help but sigh. This combat power was a bit exaggerated. It was possible he could contend with High-level Mages after reaching the peak of Intermediate level. She vaguely guessed Lu Jun's secret, such as his peculiar Mind abilities. The Curse Element alone couldn't explain it, but she didn't intend to ask for details.

If he didn't want to say, then so be it.

The three of them eliminated hundreds of crocodiles and then meditated, seizing the opportunity to recover their Magic Energy.

Lu Jun looked inward at the White Tiger Pendant and absorbed over four hundred Servant-level residual souls. These were re-condensed into four Servant-level Spirit Essences, plus two complete Spirit Essences. This round was quite profitable.

Water Shield had already reached the fourth level, equivalent to half of an Intermediate level defensive magic, second only to Rock Barrier.

For the next level four, Lu Jun pondered for a moment and decided to upgrade the Primary level Mind Element. In the past three months, Ding Yumian's research ideas seemed to have yielded results. His own magic level couldn't keep up, and perhaps the fourth level of Ling Yi would bring a surprise.

Whether it was the Gold Element, Water Element, or Mind Element's Primary level four, none of them were in the original work. It was a completely unfamiliar territory, and all three were very useful.

The Mind Element was the most crucial. Psychic Impact was still unsolvable even at the High-level, and it could become a means to challenge higher levels.

Opportunities to safely farm Demonic Beasts like this were rare. Usually, it required venturing deep into Demonic Beast territories, greatly increasing the danger.

Lu Jun immersed himself in his Spiritual World, channeling all four Spirit Essences into a transparent Star Nebula, causing the four semi-transparent Star Seeds to expand.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them had guarded the Songjiang Estuary Dam for three days and three nights.

Chapter 91: Zhu Meng, Nan Jue.

Near the Huangpu River in Magic City, a burly middle-aged man with a thick beard, clad in an Councilor's robe, stood gazing at the fifty-meter-high waves on the vast river surface in the distance.

His expression was solemn, and the fatigue was undeniable. He had stood there for three days and three nights without closing his eyes, directing the deployment of all defenses at ferry crossings, dams, and rivers.

Occasionally, subordinates would rush in with urgent reports, delivering one piece of bad news after another, and one problem after another that needed immediate resolution.

"Councilor Zhu Meng, the Hengliao Crossing is short-handed and requires reinforcements."

"Injured Mages have been sent to logistics, but there's a severe shortage of healing Mages, and medicines like blood agents are scarce."

"There are too few Rock Element Mages at Shuliaojing, and the dam is on the verge of collapse, with water already overflowing."

"Crocodile Demons are rampaging in the suburbs of Magic City, hiding in the sewers. We request professional Mages to be dispatched for cleanup."

Zhu Meng frowned. Despite his internal frustration, he suppressed his emotions and calmly issued commands and arrangements, managing everything in an orderly fashion and ensuring all areas were attended to. He found solutions even when none seemed apparent.

He revitalized the entire situation from limited resources.

Under his outstanding leadership, the situation along this section of the Yangtze River in Magic City was basically stable. The next steps were steady progress, clearing out the Crocodile Demons, flood control, and consolidating the dam.

A female officer beside him watched this scene with admiration. She was tall, with short yellow hair reaching her shoulders. Despite being a woman, she had a rare aquiline nose and deep-set eyes, looking incredibly handsome and heroic, possessing a kind of androgynous beauty.

Nan Jue was an intern assigned to Councilor Zhu Meng from the Southern War Zone. The southern region frequently faced flood disasters, and Zhu Meng was a nationally renowned practical leader, so she naturally came to learn.

Indeed, although Nan Jue was exhausted these days, she had truly undergone significant tempering, and her Plant Element had broken through to Intermediate level two.

Woo woo woo!

At this moment, a clear, ethereal cry echoed, startling them. They turned their heads and glanced downward. They were on top of a pavilion in the naval dockyard, which resembled a large fortress, responsible for both repairing ships and acting as an interception point.

In the reservoir inside the dockyard, a white dolphin was spitting water and whimpering. Its body was smooth and bouncy, its round shape resembling a white ball, quite adorable.

Zhu Meng's face was full of displeasure. "It's this kind of Demonic Beast that attracted the Crocodile Dragon Lord's covetousness, and now they expect us humans to protect it, leading to this untimely flood season and heavy losses. Aren't we just becoming a sucker?"

Hearing this, the nearby officers exchanged glances. A middle-aged old Mage beside them, dressed sloppily like a fisherman, picked his toes and said disdainfully, "Don't regret it when you need them."

He paused and continued, "Currently, there's internal strife within the Yangtze River's Demonic Beast kingdom. The White Sturgeon Demon clan has taken this opportunity to purge the 'White River Dolphin' lineage, which they strongly disliked. This is a golden opportunity."

"Both are rare Demonic Beast groups with water control abilities, but the latter is more peaceful and closer to humans. By intervening to save the remaining lineage, we can, on one hand, consider them as a future check on the White Sturgeon Demons, using demons to control demons. On the other hand, we might be able to cultivate a second Beast Taming Army in the country, comparable to the Sky Eagles."

The middle-aged fisherman Mage said excitedly, "Then, one will be in the sky and the other in the water, enough to protect the nation's security!"

"You must know that oceans occupy over 70% of the world, and with rivers and streams, the proportion is even greater. Water is the foundation of survival for any race. I predict that future threats will definitely originate from the ocean!"

"And a race with water control abilities on our side will greatly assist our warriors."

The fisherman Mage stated decisively, "In short, they are worth saving. There are many Demonic Beast groups with water control abilities, but few are gentle."

Zhu Meng scoffed at this, still saying, "Using demons to control demons? Demons are untrustworthy! Haven't we suffered enough in the past? How many Demonic Beast tribes that humans painstakingly nurtured have turned around and bitten humanity? It's like raising a tiger that brings disaster!"

"China has spent so much money and raised so many demons over the years, and what has it achieved in the end?!"

"In my opinion, as long as they are within human territory, all demons that pose a threat or might pose a threat should be killed! Investing those resources into human Mages would have long since compensated for the losses with the stronger individuals cultivated."

The middle-aged fisherman Mage didn't bother to speak, unwilling to argue.

Nan Jue, being observant, quickly handed Zhu Meng a cup of hot water. "Councilor Zhu, you haven't slept for days. Drink some water and rest."

With that, Zhu Meng took the cup and sat down, letting out a long sigh. The situation had stabilized, and he could finally pause. He glanced at the middle-aged fisherman, who still looked indifferent, and his anger hadn't subsided.

If this person hadn't been his life-long friend, who was now half-crippled saving him, he would have beaten him to death long ago.

Zhu Meng pointed at the few White River Dolphin Demons in the dockyard's inner lake and angrily rebuked, "Protecting them? What's the use? There are only a few of them, and they've become an endangered species. How many years will it take for them to breed into thousands? How many resources will be invested?!"

"Not to mention transforming them into a force similar to the Sky Eagle unit, a Seven Star Beast Taming Army. Without a 100% guarantee of submission, they won't pass the higher authorities' approval. How long will it take to cultivate them? Can you guarantee they won't rebel?"

In the command room on top of the dockyard, the military officers present remained silent.

"Forget it." Zhu Meng's mood gradually calmed down. "This isn't entirely your fault. Even if we weren't receiving the White River Dolphins, that Crocodile Dragon Lord would have attacked."

"Damn it, I have to deal with this stuff instead of hunting down the Crocodile Lord myself. What a pain in the ass."

With that, Zhu Meng put down his cup, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes to rest for a bit. He had handled the tasks and planned the systems, and from now on, most matters could run on their own according to the established procedures.

Nan Jue and the other officers knew the councilor had been under a lot of pressure these past few days. They wisely and cautiously withdrew, not wanting to disturb Zhu Meng.

As the fisherman Mage followed them out, he hesitated and said in a low voice, "Thank you."

Unknowingly, several hours passed.

Zhu Meng opened his eyes groggily and saw Nan Jue beside him. He jolted awake and sat up straight. Seeing that the dock was safe, his tense body gradually relaxed. He asked sternly, "How long have I been resting? What's the situation now?"

Hearing this, Nan Jue respectfully replied, "About three hours. Councilor, you can rest a bit longer. We can handle things. The situation has significantly improved."

"Forget it." Zhu Meng frowned, got up, put on his coat, and began to review the orders he had previously issued and the intelligence from various sources.

He was afraid his mind hadn't been clear enough before, leading to any oversights or wrong decisions.

Looking through it now, Zhu Meng nodded. The general direction was correct, but he had a vague feeling that something was off.

So, he checked all the intelligence again, his brow furrowing deeper with each read.

A moment later, Nan Jue sensed the change in atmosphere. With a desire to learn, she asked, "What's wrong, Councilor?"

"Hiss!" Zhu Meng took a breath and said, "This is a big problem. Have you received any intelligence from [Songjiang Ferry] in the past three days and three nights?!"

"Songjiang Dam?" Nan Jue repeated the name. She was also a capable individual and had memorized all the ferry crossings and dams along the tributaries of Magic City during this period. Recalling them now, she broke out in a cold sweat and stammered, "No... no! Not a single message!"