Full-Time Mage: Starting with the White Tiger Pendant

"I heard..." Lu Jun finally revealed his true intentions. "The most outstanding team in the Promotion Assessment gets to enter the Three Step Tower for one day of cultivation per person."

Hearing this, Dean Xiao smiled. So this guy had been after that all along. He really did scrape off every last bit of profit.

With a casual wave of his hand, he said, "It's only one day. You already have seven days—what's one more, making it eight?"

Lu Jun nodded like a pecking chick and quickly thanked him. "Hehehe, Dean, you're so generous. Thank you, thank you."

Dean Xiao waved him off. He thought highly of Lu Jun, to say nothing of how Lu Jun had bravely resisted the demon creatures during the minor flood season two months ago, bringing glory to Pearl Academy and boosting its reputation. He had to show some appreciation.

If Lu Jun had not refused, the commendation ceremony would have been held long ago.

Watching Lu Jun and Ding Yumian leave, he stroked his chin with a smile at the corner of his mouth. Then he picked up the communicator on the table and sent a group message to several old friends: "Let Pearl host this year's academy [exchange students]."

Before long, the principals of Imperial Capital Academy and Southern Academy replied in surprise. "Old Xiao, you're feeling bold. You're this confident this year?"

"Fine. I'll have the administration draft up a proposal, and we'll hold the exchange competition at your place."

Once that was settled, Dean Xiao put down his phone in satisfaction. After all, if he did not make use of someone now, they would be gone after graduation.

Lu Jun was the most outstanding freshman Pearl Academy had seen in terms of talent and combat strength in recent decades. Of course Dean Xiao had to show him off and raise Pearl Academy's prestige. Otherwise, once Lu Jun graduated, Pearl Academy would be stuck as the eternal runner-up again.

When the time came to ask the central authorities for funding, if someone asked, "What are you first in?" wouldn't that be awkward?

Meanwhile, Lu Jun did not know what Dean Xiao had planned. Walking toward the Main Campus with Ding Yumian, recommendation letter in hand, he turned and asked, "You... are going to the Fire Institute?"

Ding Yumian nodded, brushing aside a strand of hair with a smile. "It's quite close to your Water Institute. We can get together when we have time. But I heard there are a lot of girls in the Water Institute, all so lovely and delicate. You're a lucky man."

Hearing that, Lu Jun hurriedly shook his head and said solemnly, "I'll only work hard at cultivation, only climb the rankings, not pound stakes!"

"What kind of thing is that to say?" Ding Yumian turned her face away and walked off with her hands behind her back. "Who cares what you do?"

Watching the back of the cool, white-clad mature woman, Lu Jun scratched his head. The two split up and went to report to their respective institutes.

After that, he went to the [Three Step Tower], rubbing his hands together as he prepared to break through in cultivation.

At the same time, news spread that Lu Jun had been directly promoted to the Main Campus without an exam. Not only did the freshmen have no objections, they all breathed sighs of relief, while the older students cried out that the wolf had arrived!

All Elements Intermediate Level Two

Lu Jun was too lazy to pay attention to the opinions on the campus forums. Before long, he arrived at the location of the Three Step Tower.

The Three Step Tower was a perfectly symmetrical three-dimensional triangular structure. Its exterior looked as though it were made of silver metal, rising straight into the sky and standing out conspicuously within the Main Campus.

The senior at the entrance knew him. The moment he saw him, he exclaimed, "Lu Ren Tu, you've come to the Main Campus?"

The senior was extremely enthusiastic, practically bowing and scraping as he continuously introduced the Three Step Tower to him. "This Three Step Tower was built by a Great Sage who specialized in the Earth Element and secondarily cultivated the Space Element. It gathers the immense power of the earth veins from thousands of miles around."

"It looks small on the outside, but its interior space is infinitely vast. Intermediate Mages generally only need to cultivate on the first or second floor. With each floor you ascend, the pressure brought by the denser energy will rapidly consume the nebula magic energy in your Spiritual World, so judge according to your own limits."

"Now, you can go in yourself."

Lu Jun smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

The senior said with flattered alarm, "No need, no need. Lu Ren Tu, you're incredible. You killed members of the Black Vatican and resisted the demon creatures of the Huangpu River, letting us cultivate in peace."

Seeing this, Lu Jun was deeply moved. Compared to when Mo Fan came a year later, the difference in treatment was like heaven and earth. After all, this guy had not told Mo Fan about the spatial pressure, clearly wanting to trick him.

If Mo Fan had not possessed the Innate Talent of Four Elements and a large nebula capacity, he would probably have been done for. If he had fainted, those seven days would have been wasted for nothing. All Lu Jun could say was that Mo Fan attracted too much hatred. Unlike him—kind and friendly.

Lu Jun stepped inside. The staircase ahead was immensely shocking: nothing but individual stair slabs suspended in the darkness, rising step by step toward a triangular floating platform above, one with an intense geometric feel.

As Lu Jun climbed the stairs, he moved smoothly at first, encountering no apparent obstacles. Later on, he began to feel dizzy and uncomfortable. When he continued upward, his breathing grew heavy, and his magic energy was steadily consumed.

However, his cultivation was somewhat higher than Mo Fan's when he came a year later, so it was not much of a problem. He easily reached the first floor in one go.

Whoosh!

In an instant, surging energy poured in from all directions. Each of his four nebulae received its corresponding element: the gentle freshness of Water Element, the sharp ferocity of Metal Element, the cool clarity of Mind Element, and the ominous strangeness of Curse Element. It nourished his body and felt exceptionally comfortable.

Even on the first floor, cultivation was over twenty times faster than in the Outside World. One day of cultivation was worth more than half a month outside.

Lu Jun was overjoyed, but he did not remain on the first floor. He continued upward.

As he climbed, the pressure on his Spiritual World grew greater and greater, tempering and refining his mental will.

That's right! This time, Lu Jun planned to use this pressure, along with the feedback from his nebulae breaking through, to break through to the third realm of Mental Power in one go!

He had remained at the second realm for five months and had been refined by Ding Yumian seven or eight times. He had long since set half a foot into the third realm; all he needed was a little push.

A moment later, Lu Jun reached the second floor. The energy concentration was forty times greater, while the pressure had likewise doubled. His breathing became much more rapid as he gritted his teeth and muttered, "One more floor."

Rumble!

When he struggled against the pressure and reached the top tier, the crushing weight nearly drained the magic energy from his four nebulae. He had no choice but to draw on his considerable Mental Power to withstand it.

The energy concentration here was eighty times greater. And don't forget, Lu Jun had the White Tiger Pendant, a Nebula Magic Tool, which multiplied that by another 2.5 times, bringing his cultivation speed close to two hundred times normal.

One day was equivalent to half a year. The Three Step Tower truly deserved its title as a holy land for cultivation.

Only with something like this could Mo Fan cultivate to the peak of Intermediate Level faster than he had at Beginner Level. Even after the former was forcibly weakened twice, he still reached the peak in all elements within two years, while at Beginner Level, he had painstakingly cultivated just two elements for three years.

One had to know that Intermediate Level cultivation took a long time. For example, in the five months since school began, Lu Jun's four elements had merely reached the verge of a breakthrough.

"Now I'm going to soar!"

Lu Jun sat down cross-legged with difficulty and immersed himself in cultivation. As he slightly opened his Spiritual World, countless threads of elements immediately surged into him like sea tides, and his nebulae expanded section by section.

On the first day, the Water Element Star Nebula broke through to Level Two... On the second day, the Mind Element Star Nebula broke through to Level Two... On the third day, the Curse Element Star Nebula broke through to Level Two...

Within the Dark Universe, the azure, dark green, and transparent Nebulas had doubled in size, reaching the same height as the Gold Element and refusing to yield to one another as they occupied the center.

The gap in magical energy between Level Two and Level One alone was enough to show the vast leap within the intermediate realm.

And this was only the intermediate realm. At the advanced level, the gap would grow even greater. At the supreme Super Rank, every level was a step, every element a whole new heaven.

Buzzz! Buzzz! Buzzz!

At that moment, Lu Jun sat cross-legged on the platform, bathed in multicolored rays of light. His aura steadily climbed as abundant magical energy surged through his body, greatly boosting his strength.

At the same time, he pushed onward in one burst, using the support of three Intermediate Level Two elements to focus his mind and repeatedly assault that barrier.

About two more days passed. Lu Jun's brow swelled as a fairly strong Mental Power gathered there, vaguely forming a small silver pool within his mind. [Third Realm]—advanced!

It granted the Mind Element and Curse Element a 2.5-fold boost.

The former was fine, but the latter already had the added effect of [Curse Mark] Curse Substance. If he applied a Curse Mark, it might even corrode a Commander-level creature's defensive carapace. It was highly effective against that type of demon creature.

Eight days had passed, and only three remained. The concentration of elemental energy around Lu Jun had dropped to just over fifty times the normal level.

That was perfectly normal. It was similar to the [rainbow-siphoning principle]: when one bottle contained less water and another contained more, the fuller bottle would keep pouring into the emptier one until the two were level.

Lu Jun's cultivation had improved, meaning he could hold more water, so the boost it provided naturally decreased somewhat. The pressure on his mind was likewise caused by this very principle. (The above is from the original text.)

"All elements are at the intermediate level, and my Mental Power is at the Third Realm. Next, I'll focus on the Gold Element and see whether I can break through to Level Three."

He thought to himself, seizing the opportunity to cultivate diligently as Platinum Glow continuously spread through his spiritual universe.

Three days later, Lu Jun emerged from the Three Step Tower looking refreshed. The senior student guarding the entrance said enviously, "Congratulations. In eight days, it looks like your cultivation has advanced considerably, junior."

Lu Jun modestly replied, "Once you succeed in the ranking challenge, senior, you'll be the same."

After bidding farewell to the unnamed senior, he headed home. After eight days of closed-door cultivation, Pearl Academy's Promotion Assessment had also come to an end, and Intermediate Mages had begun entering the Main Campus one after another.

Bai Zhengfeng, Huang Lixing, and Dongfang Ming were among those who had advanced.

But Lu Jun paid them no attention. He went straight home to sort through his gains. The changes in his Skill Effects required proper practice.

At present, all his elements were at Intermediate Level Two. The Gold Element was somewhat regrettable—by the end of the third day, it had at most reached the peak of Level Two, since its foundation was unstable. Since entering Pearl Academy, he had focused more on his other three elements.

Inside Jinyuan Apartment, Lu Mei was immersed in controlling her stars. When she saw her younger brother return, she opened her beautiful eyes, propped her cheek on one hand, and teased, "Oh? You finally decided to come home? How did it go?"

Lu Jun was in high spirits. "Not bad. I'm about to catch up to you."

Lu Jun did not chat much with his elder sister. Both of them had work to do, striving toward the pinnacle of magic.

But before he had spent long consolidating his gains and resting, Dean Xiao called and told him to come over.

So early in the morning, Lu Jun was completely baffled. After hastily practicing a few times, he rushed to Pearl Academy. When he arrived at Dean Xiao's office, however, he found several other people there.

Ding Yumian, Dongfang Ming, Bai Zhengfeng, and six or seven others.

"What's the matter?" Lu Jun asked Ding Yumian through Mind Telepathy. "So many people have gathered here. They all seem to be outstanding representatives among the freshmen."

Hearing this, Ding Yumian's crystal-clear eyes, like autumn waters, glanced his way. "Did Not Know? In a few days, There Was A Batch Of exchange students coming from Imperial Capital Academy and Southern Academy. They want us to hold the formation."

He answered with a look. "Oh? Wouldn't it be working for nothing?"

"No..." Ding Yumian's gentle voice sounded in his heart. "If we win, the academy will reward us. The Most Outstanding performer will receive a reward within a certain limit."

"Then I want to join!"

Lu Jun agreed instantly, then added with some concern, "What about you? Given your situation, it wouldn't be good for you to make a move, right?"

"Mm." Ding Yumian gave a soft hum. "I'm holding the formation. This Time, we proactively invited the top three academies. We're fighting on home ground, so we have to win. If you can't handle it, I'll step in."

"Yes! We have to win." Lu Jun said solemnly. "I guarantee the mission will be completed. You just focus on staying hidden."

He had figured it out. Before taking on the ranking challenge, he would sweep through the nation's most top-tier freshmen first and treat it as a warm-up.

Lu Jun had some ideas about the academy's limited reward. He wanted the school to use its connections to seek out special magical metals for the Gold Element.

He had asked around during the past five months, but unfortunately, Pearl Academy did not specialize in that field and had few results to show for it.

Dean Xiao sat behind his desk, watching the young man and woman exchange loving looks right beneath his nose. They had forcibly turned an office containing several people into a stage for just the two of them, while everyone else seemed like light bulbs.

Bai Zhengfeng and Dongfang Ming, among others, looked awkward. Huang Lixing had originally been standing close beside her best friend, but Seeing This, her face filled with disbelief, as though she were questioning why Ding Yumian had abandoned the single women's camp.

Naturally, the two were immersed in their heart-to-heart exchange, completely ignoring everyone else.

"Ahem, ahem." Dean Xiao had no choice but to cough a few times, drawing everyone's attention. He said seriously, "You should all know by now. For the three-month exchange program, we'll be holding an exchange competition."

"All I can say is, take it seriously. Friendship first, competition second."

Lu Jun smiled. Got it. They had to beat the two academies senselessly so they could feel their warmth and hospitality—that was friendship first. Then they could come compete for second place—that was competition second.

After Dean Xiao explained a few matters, he dismissed everyone.

After leaving, Lu Jun was quite curious about who this year's exchange students would be. He was one year ahead of Mo Fan, so Lu Zhenghe, Xu Dalong, Liao Mingxuan, and the others probably would not be among them.

But judging by the National Prefecture War members, people such as Nan Jue were generally one year older than Mo Fan. Some familiar faces might well be among the exchange students this time, and their caliber was far superior to the likes of Lu Zhenghe.

In the blink of an eye, several days passed. The Imperial Capital and Southern Academy teams arrived in Magic City one after another.

Two buses pulled into Pearl Academy's Main Campus. Two groups stepped down, clearly divided from one another. Separated by the width of a street, they sized each other up in a tense standoff thick with hostility.

The Imperial Capital Academy team had several members who stood out in both looks and presence—handsome men and beautiful women.

There was a two-meter-tall beastly man with a sturdy frame and thick body hair; a handsome man with elegant manners, like a noble young master; and a small, frail-looking boy of the cute type, holding a black cat in his arms.

There were also two delicate, charming women with very different temperaments. One was voluptuous and soft-bodied, with flawless, innocent features like a white lotus; the other was sexy and flamboyant, brimming with arrogance.

The beastly man, Zu Jiming, sneered in clear displeasure. "Those crooked melons and cracked dates actually want us to come all the way to Pearl as exchange students? They should be the ones coming to us."

"Exactly," Guan Yu, the refined man, said with a smile. "People from small places lack experience. They need to broaden their horizons."

The proud and flamboyant sexy woman, Mu Tingying, said with interest, "Magic City, huh? I wonder what the younger generation of the Four Great Families is like, daring to compare themselves to my Mu Family."

Nan Rongni, the pure white-lotus type beside her, tried to smooth things over. "We're all fellow students. Competition comes second; friendship comes first."

Only then did the others stop with their mockery.

The teacher leading the group was a tall, slender man. He looked very young, fair and clean-cut, with the air of a scholar. He paid the group's behavior no mind.

If he had not heard that some interesting research topics had appeared in Magic City this time, he would have been too lazy to lead the team here. He was equally indifferent to the open and covert rivalry between the academies.

The frail boy, Jiang Yu, likewise did not involve himself in those disputes. Holding an adorable black cat with white paws, he looked around curiously.

The Southern Academy team on the other side kept a lower profile. Although Imperial Capital Academy was nominally first, Pearl Academy second, and Southern Academy third, those in the know understood that the top two stood in a league of their own.

The competition for third place had always been fierce. No fewer than nine first-rate academies were tied for third.

Knowing that their chances of rising were slim, the teacher leading the team had already resigned himself to it. Turning to the two scions of prominent families, Zhou Xu and Li Kaifeng, he said gently, "Just show your style."

The two young men smiled and nodded on the surface, but inwardly they were unconvinced, eager to prove themselves.

Before long, Director Jiang of Magic City personally came to receive them. From a distance, he was already smiling broadly at the Imperial Capital Academy's lead teacher. He quickened his pace, clasped the man's hand tightly, and said, "Professor Yuan, welcome. We've finally been waiting for you."