Full-Time Mage: Starting With the White Tiger Pendant

Gao Sheng opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but didn't know how to explain.

Nan Jue, standing nearby, spoke up, "Let me explain. This is a military secret. Since Councilman Zhu Meng sent you here, it means you're allowed to know. Have you heard of the White River Dolphin demons?"

After Nan Jue, an insider, revealed the information, Lu Jun and the other two finally understood the whole story.

Lu Mei found it strange, having never seen an untamed demonic beast tribe proactively surrender to humans, and it even caused a minor flood season on the Yangtze River. Tang Yue remained silent, seemingly recalling something.

Lu Jun, on the other hand, was unfazed. He stroked his chin, realizing this wasn't in the original novel but understanding that a real world has many facets and characters that Mo Fan's perspective couldn't encompass.

Besides, he glanced at a few White River Dolphins in the river, playfully spitting water at each other out of boredom. They were just a few minor demons; how long would it take for them to form a tribe again? The sea demon invasion would happen in eight or nine years, and it would be too late by then.

Therefore, the four of them simply ignored Gao Sheng's boast about his aquatic troops, unless they resorted to unscientific methods.

Lu Jun asked curiously, "How did you get involved with these White River Dolphins? Their tribe was wiped out, and the remaining descendants voluntarily surrendered to you."

"That's a long story," Gao Sheng said as he stepped ashore on the flexible body of a large white dolphin, lit a cigarette, and sighed. "I was severely injured years ago, almost crippled. I heard from somewhere that the carcasses of a type of demonic beast called the White River Dolphin could be refined into [White Jade Paste] after death."

"It's said to nourish the body and even repair damaged magic elements."

Lu Jun heard a rather ordinary story. Gao Sheng decided to go demon hunting. However, even after finding the White River Dolphins, there was no White Dolphin Paste, and he felt he had been deceived and wanted to leave.

But on his way back, he was attacked by a White Sturgeon Demon and nearly drowned. It was the White River Dolphins that saved him.

This forged a connection between Gao Sheng and the White Dolphin demons. Afterward, he began to investigate and discovered that these demonic beasts were relatively close to humans; to be precise, it was a relief if they could coexist without interfering with each other.

The fishing villages within the White Dolphin's territory secretly raised these demonic beasts. Then, when they entered the river, even if they encountered demonic beasts or fell into the water, they could be rescued by the White River Dolphins.

Those fishermen dared not report it to the government and kept it a secret, which is why it remained hidden until today.

Gao Sheng was purely driven by interest to study the White River Dolphins, wanting to develop them into an excellent aquatic beast for taming. This was a blank field in China.

When the minor flood season on the Yangtze River broke out, the White River Dolphins were slaughtered, their blood dyeing the entire Yangtze River red. The fishermen along the banks had already been evacuated due to the flood. Only Gao Sheng rushed to their aid and saved a few of the breeding stock.

"So I don't know what Zhu Meng is thinking," Gao Sheng sighed. "Bringing the White River Dolphins here, although the combat power of a few Generals is indeed very useful for local battlefields, it's far less significant than the value of research. The Imperial Capital doesn't lack those few General-level combat forces."

Lu Jun stroked his chin, roughly understanding Zhu Meng's intention. He hesitantly pointed to the dam reservoir where the river flowed into, "Is it possible that we don't lack those few General-level combat forces either?"

Gao Sheng didn't understand Lu Jun's meaning. He urged the playing dolphins upstream, but then smelled an increasingly strong scent of blood. The river turned a light red, as if some vermillion dye had been poured upstream and was flowing down.

Wait, Gao Sheng, who had extensive battlefield experience, suddenly went blank and quickly urged the White River Dolphins to continue forward.

Immediately, the White Dolphin he was riding refused to move any further, its large body trembling slightly.

However, Gao Sheng had already seen the blood lake in the dam reservoir. The corpses of seven or eight-meter-long Crocodile Demons were piled up densely, at least a thousand of them.

He was quite shocked and instantly understood Zhu Meng's intention. It turned out they were seeking refuge; the most dangerous place was the safest, avoiding the main battlefield.

Gao Sheng praised, "Young and promising. You achieved what high-level individuals do with ease. Then we'll leave ourselves in your hands."

"It's fine," Lu Jun nodded. Nan Jue beside him remained silent, having already guessed the councilman's intentions.

Then, the five people and several demons guarded the Songjiang Dam for more than ten days.

However, everyone was astonished to find that very few Crocodile Demons came to this ferry crossing. At most, a few straggling Crocodile Demons that got lost during their march would wander here and be casually killed by Lu Jun.

Until the general attack of demonic beasts was launched from the direction of the Huangpu River, there was the flashing of sky lightning, and dull thunder rumbled. Nine lightning halberds pierced the sky, shaking the heavens. There was a surging tide, and even Songjiang was affected, clearly felt.

Human mages were fighting a great battle against hordes of demonic beasts.

Lu Jun and the others gazed into the distance, took a deep breath, unable to participate. It was a battlefield for Super level mages.

Soon, several hours later, the lightning gradually subsided, and the surging tide of Songjiang receded. Everything returned to peace, much like before.

News arrived that a Sub-Lord White Sturgeon Demon had appeared in the Huangpu River, launching a surprise attack on the shipyard. Although the base was destroyed, the demonic beasts also paid a price. The Sub-Lord was killed on the spot by Councilman Zhu Meng.

Currently, the Yangtze River section had calmed down, and they were waiting to see the actions in Jinling. The various hunters and soldiers relaxed, assessing their losses.

Thus, the legend of Lu Jun single-handedly guarding the area began to spread. After all, many people saw Zhu Meng rushing to the Songjiang Dam, and subsequently, military officers verified the battle achievements and tallied the corpses of the hunted demonic beasts.

"I know this person. He's from the Azure Sky Demon Hunting Agency. He even clashed with the Black Vatican before. A truly ruthless individual."

"Awesome! He's still a student, too. I heard he's been recognized by Councilman Zhu Meng. I'm so envious. Look at his nineteen years old, and then look at yours."

The hunters' casual chat made Lu Jun's name famous among the Magic City community.

The Magic City television station, responsible for reporting on this disaster, had their eyes light up. A story of a lone individual guarding the dam for ten days and nights, injured but not retreating from the front lines, was very positive.

Not long after, news came from Jinling again. Over a dozen Super level mages joined forces and heavily wounded the Crocodile Lord. This minor flood season in November finally ended.

Chapter 95: Harvest, High-Level Wind Element

The Magic City defense lines were gradually withdrawn, and Lu Jun could finally tally his gains. In more than ten days, he had hunted over a thousand Servant-level demonic beasts and twenty to thirty General-level demonic beasts.

He had synthesized ten Servant spirit cores, with four complete ones, totaling [fourteen].

Seven of these spirit cores were used to upgrade the Water Shield·Mystic Dragon, an extremely practical skill. The remaining seven would be assessed. Lu Jun felt he probably wouldn't need to sell the Servant-level spirit cores. The corpses killed in this battle, plus the rewards, amounted to tens of millions.

By the Songjiang Dam, the group bid farewell.

"Goodbye," Gao Sheng waved his hand. "Little brother, thank you for your trouble this time."

Lu Jun didn't mind; it was a simple matter. He was more curious about the concept of aquatic troops.

Knowing the future trends, he understood that the sea demon invasion would require an underwater force for protection, and water control abilities would be paramount. He asked, "What are your plans for the future? Where will you take this batch of White River Dolphins?"

"If Zhu Meng doesn't want them, I'll take them back to Pearl Academy for the lab professors to research. After all, everyone has their specialty, and the White River Dolphins' unusual affinity for humans is rare, so their value is undeniable."

Gao Sheng was open-minded and waved. "We'll meet again, little brother."

Lu Jun watched the departing figure shake his head, wondering if they would ever meet again. Well… if he went to Pearl Academy, it seemed like he could meet her anytime.

Nan Jue on the side was also leaving. Her cooperation in battle over the past few days had been extremely seamless and pleasant. As a Mage of the Sound Element and Plant Element, she was steady and had strong crowd control abilities. Combined with Lu Jun's Curse Element and Mind Element, anyone would be defeated with their eyes closed.

"See you again," Nan Jue said, her heroic and graceful posture evident. She extended her slender palm, her beautiful eyes gazing at him. "This demon hunting wasn't satisfying enough. I look forward to cooperating with you next time. I mean, I hope to see you at the National Prefecture War."

"Thank you," Lu Jun replied, his grip gentle as he nodded. "See you at the National Prefecture War."

The two young people were full of spirit and had absolute confidence in themselves. The preliminary selection wouldn't be a problem for them.

After a brief encounter and parting with Nan Jue and Gao Sheng, Lu Jun and the other two were left behind. Tang Yue pursed her lips and walked towards Lu Jun with a swaying gait, opening her arms for a gentle embrace.

At this moment, Lu Jun was caught off guard, his face pressed into her soft embrace, her scent filling his nostrils. His heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he remembered the scene at the hotel, which was very stimulating. His sister, Lu Mei, was watching them.

"Take good care of yourself," Tang Yue said, her beautiful face flushed as she pulled away. She let out a soft hum. "Don't get the wrong idea. This is just a sister's farewell to her brother. I'm going back to Hangzhou."

Lu Jun scratched his head and glanced at Lu Mei, who had a half-smile on her face, making him feel guilty.

With that, Tang Yue turned and left. She hadn't figured out how to interact with Lu Jun, and being a "big sister" felt pretty good.

"Not bad," Lu Mei said with a smile. "Your friends are growing."

He coughed lightly, changing the subject. "Hurry up and get someone to dissect the bodies. We can't waste the materials. We've gathered just over a hundred million. We'll contact the Adjudication Court to buy a [Star River Vein]."

"Mhm," Lu Mei nodded, her head tilting slightly. She whispered in a voice no one else could hear, "You've worked hard."

Not long after, the Military arrived to settle the materials and award merits on the spot.

Lu Jun also saw several interview vehicles marked with the official television station's logo. A few reporters were filming from a distance. The blood lake piled with corpses was indeed shocking and truly depicted the cruelty of the battlefield.

The scattered cleanup work lasted for three days, barely managing to settle the materials. Forty million yuan was deposited into Lu Jun's account, a clearly inflated price.

As soon as the siblings received the money, they quickly bought the [Star River Vein]. It wasn't available on the market, but they had established many connections. Whether it was Tang Yue's Adjudication Court, Dean Xiao's Pearl Academy, or Old Man Bao's Azure Sky Demon Hunting Agency, they could all get it.

They even had channels through council members like Zhu Meng and Mu Nujiao.

After spending a full hundred million, their shared small treasury was instantly depleted, returning them to square one overnight.

In the bedroom of Jinyuan Apartment, Lu Mei held a box containing a [Star River Vein] in the center.

It was the size of a goose egg, shaped like a diamond, but even more crystal clear. Countless dense points of light were dotted across it, and upon closer inspection, they appeared as beautiful and brilliant as a galaxy.

There was a vast chasm between a [Star Nebula] and a [Star River]. It was almost impossible for human Mages to break through the barrier and cross the chasm using their own power.

Either they needed a [Star River Vein] to break through, or a [Star River Magic Tool]. As for the [Totem Power] that Mo Fan and Zhao Manting encountered later, it wasn't something ordinary people could find.

Lu Mei was a little nervous. Lu Jun saw this and comforted her, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Let nature take its course. Anyway, I've only just reached the Intermediate level, and I'm still far from High-level. We can always scrape together money to buy another one if needed."

"Hoo hoo," his sister took a few deep breaths and returned to her room, determined. "I will succeed!"

Just as the siblings were in seclusion cultivating, the small flood season in Magic City was reported, causing a huge stir.

In a dilapidated residential area on the outskirts of Magic City, Mo Fan, after finishing his arduous cultivation, walked out of his cramped bedroom and turned on the TV. He watched the news program with indifference at first.

But when Mo Fan saw a glimpse of Lu Jun on the screen for a few seconds, he couldn't help but rub his eyes. He rewound it to identify him carefully, and finally recognized him. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Holy crap! Old Lu is really competitive. When did he become so imposing?"

On the TV screen was a picture of Lu Jun standing tall on the dam, a mountain of corpses and sea of blood behind him, his stern face filled with decisive killing intent.

Meanwhile, Xu Zhaoting's family had moved to Magic City. His parents were watching the local news when Xu Zhaoting walked by. He happened to catch a glimpse of Lu Jun on the screen. It was said that he had even received recognition from Council Member Zhu Meng.

He sighed, "He's really getting more and more amazing."

Xu Zhaoting had vaguely heard about Lu Jun confronting the Black Vatican last time. Because he paid attention to Pearl Academy, he had personally witnessed the miracle of fighting for a day and a night in the Beast Fighting Arena. Coupled with the memory of the scene at Snow Peak Mountain Outpost.

Lu Jun's name had long become a legend at Tianlan High School, circulating in all the class groups, with people sighing about the vast difference.

It was just that Xu Zhaoting didn't know that his fate had been changed due to Lu Jun's intervention, nor did he know that the "Enlightened Sword Immortal" everyone had in their hearts during the battle to protect Bo City was Lu Jun.

In the streets and alleys of Magic City, there were widespread reports about the hunter's ten-day and ten-night vigil on the front lines, passing by his home without entering, and other such stories.

Three days later, the unrest caused by the Yangtze River Crocodile Lord gradually subsided.

A powerful fluctuation suddenly emanated from Jinyuan Apartment, and the air in the surrounding high-end residential areas became turbulent for a time.

Gusts of wind swept through, causing the beautiful young female college students on the street to scream, covering their skirts. Even so, pairs of fair and shapely legs were revealed.

It wasn't just young students, but also beautiful white-collar workers in stockings and elegant ladies in cheongsams. They had different temperaments and leg shapes, some shy, others poised and generous.

All the male students by the roadside had a feast for their eyes, clasping their hands together in gratitude for this demonic wind.

Inside the apartment, Lu Jun immediately sensed the anomaly in his sister's room. A surge of wind element gathered. He was overjoyed. "High-level Wind Element, it's successful!"

The room door opened, and Lu Mei stood with her feet on the ground, floating lightly. Her fair hands held a ball of pure white whirlwind, and a smile curved the corners of her lips. She looked beautiful and proud, letting out a cold snort, "High-level Wind Element, it's easy with my hands."

Seeing this, Lu Jun leaned forward, his heart stirred. He couldn't help but reach out and embrace his sister's slender yet full waist.

With this embrace, Lu Mei's breathing quickened, and she could no longer maintain her elemental control. She stumbled and leaned against her brother.

Chapter 96: Three Element Arrangements

Lu Jun was completely stunned.

He couldn't help but gasp, the weight in his hands suddenly increasing, but still within a manageable range.

Slap! Lu Mei, extremely shy, pushed her brother away with one hand, her voice filled with annoyance. "Why did you suddenly hug my waist? It's a little ticklish."

As her soft body moved away, Lu Jun felt a small sense of regret. He scratched his head and said, "It's nothing. I just felt like you floating like that looked like a figurine, and I couldn't help but touch you."

Perhaps he was only this proactive when facing his sister.

Before Lu Mei could speak, Lu Jun changed the subject. "Sis, what are you planning to awaken for your third high-level element?"

"My third element?" As expected, Lu Mei's attention shifted. She crossed her arms and pondered, "I lack offensive capabilities. How about awakening the Fire Element as my third? It also counters Plant Element mages and certain Plant Demonic Beasts. Together, we'll be practically all-rounders."

"Fire Element? That's fine."

Lu Jun mused, thinking of someone—Jiang Feng, the Flame Witch of the Dunhuang Scorched Plain, who had long since transformed into a unique Flame Holy Spirit. She would absolutely be the most sought-after companion for a Fire Element mage.

In the future, one Super level and one Monarch, their combined power would be invincible.

Afterward, he inquired about his sister's control over her high-level Wind Element. He already had some ideas that could potentially enhance the combat power of the Wind Element and create unique self-created magic.

After all, he couldn't show favoritism. He had discussed it with Ding Yumian, and now that Lu Mei's control had reached the standard, they could discuss it.

Lu Mei frowned. "There's definitely a qualitative change, but it's still a long way from a domain. The Star River has a full 343 Star Seeds. To construct seven Star Maps, it will likely take about half a year to use high-level magic."

"It's alright," Lu Jun said thoughtfully. "While you're controlling the Star Seeds, you can also explore variations for skills. I have an idea: compress intermediate-level magic into a 'Whirlwind in Palm.' Once unleashed, its burst power will definitely not be weaker than the lowest standard of high-level magic."

"Oh?" Lu Mei showed some interest. "Tell me about it."

"Here's how I'm thinking about it, step by step."

Lu Jun explained his concepts for 'Compressed Air Cannon,' 'Miniature Tornado,' and 'Condensed Gang Qi.'

This path involved a 'miniaturization route,' with increasing difficulty and power. The first two focused on instant, rapid release, not necessarily high power, but designed to interrupt others' control of Star Seeds. The second was like a 'shuriken,' a whirlwind in the palm.

The reason intermediate Wind Discs had mediocre power was insufficient density; the magic was too dispersed. Compressing and unleashing it would undoubtedly increase its power.

The last one was essentially the initial combination of Rock Element and Wind Element Magic Energy, increasing airflow density. A single, extreme wisp of air could pierce steel plates.

The other route was 'amplifying influence,' which involved controlling atmospheric phenomena.