Versatile Mage: Starting with the White Tiger Pendant

Lu Jun watched with a sense of déjà vu. Yet another school test, yet another two-year agreement—it was like a copy-paste from Battle Through the Heavens.

In fact, just a few days after the coming-of-age duel between Mo Fan and Yu Ang two years later, the Bo City disaster would erupt, a hallmark event. Lu Jun had already calculated the timing.

He sighed, the urgency to grow stronger intensifying. In this kind of society dominated by magic, controlled by clans like these, one needed strength to dictate life and death, to act according to one's will.

If Mo Fan had high-level magic power, he could have killed Mu He on the spot, and no one would dare say a word.

The Magic Association allowed private duels between mages, provided the time and place were agreed upon to settle personal grudges.

The annual assessment continued. Lu Jun, having enjoyed the drama, no longer had the mood to stay. He carefully controlled his mana output, achieved an S-grade result, and then released the beginner-level Water spell, Water Guard: Dissolve. Holding back his true potential, he easily secured a spot in the honors class.

Mo Fan, with a grim face, also achieved an S-grade result. His perfect display of Fire Burst shocked everyone. Even Principal Zhu couldn't bear to see such a talented student crushed by the influence of a clan and wanted to mediate.

Teachers and classmates once again exhibited their servile attitudes, vying to persuade Mo Fan, utterly failing to understand him.

But there was no need to explain Mo Fan's personality—proud, furious, and unyielding. Even Mu Ningxue's secret persuasion couldn't change his mind.

After wrapping up the assessment, Lu Jun's first-year studies ended. He went home to prepare for a monster-hunting expedition with his sister.

"Hey, are you even a real brother?" Mo Fan grumbled. "Something this big happened to me, and you're not even offering some comfort?"

"Come on, I have 100% faith in you. Dual elements—who can rival that?"

With a smirk, Lu Jun teased before waving it off. "See you after summer break."

Tang Yue quietly watched Lu Jun's departing figure, a glint of curiosity in her eyes. She had noticed his intentional restraint during the assessment and grew increasingly intrigued, deciding to investigate his background.

Lu Jun, aware of this possibility, chose to ignore it. His identity was clean, with a mid-tier mage sister to explain his abilities. That was sufficient for now.

Back home, Lu Jun entered the door and shouted, "Sis, I'm back! Let's go monster hunting!"

It was summer. Lu Mei, dressed casually in light summer wear, was sprawled on the sofa watching TV. Her perfect figure was on full display—her curvy hips raised, her long, smooth legs swaying playfully, their fair complexion dazzling. Her bright red toenails were especially eye-catching.

She glanced sideways and replied lazily, "In a rush, are we? I've been ready forever. Do you think I'd wait for you?"

Venturing beyond the safety zones to hunt monsters required careful understanding of terrain and demon distributions. A single misstep could lead to encountering Warrior-class or even Commander-class monsters, resulting in a gruesome death.

Fortunately, countless hunters and military forces in Bo City had long mapped out the perimeters, detailing known demon strongholds and routes.

Lu Mei had been planning a monster-hunting trip to fund her cultivation for quite some time. She had meticulously gathered maps, sought out information, and crafted a route. Now that her brother had grown up, he could finally be of use.

She had also prepared tents, knives, fire starters, and other necessary outdoor gear.

Lacking any experience, Lu Jun was merely a muscle for the trip. He let his sister handle everything but asked with a frown, "Are these maps reliable?"

Rolling her eyes, she replied, "Of course they're not as good as the secret routes the old hunter groups mapped out with their lives, but they're the latest public versions. And don't forget, I'm a local."

"Let's go." Lu Mei stretched lazily, her curvaceous body arching as she tied her hair into a neat ponytail. She walked to the corner and grabbed their gear.

They didn't bring much. Mages didn't need much, especially water, which Lu Jun could easily conjure with a spell. They only carried a few bottles for emergencies.

As for weight, Wind and Earth mages could handle most loads, leaving room for any spoils they might collect.

Lu Jun had noticed that storage magic items were rare in this magical world. Such items were mostly seen in Dimensional Magic wielded by Spatial mages, who were scarce and typically only appeared at the high-tier level.

For their first monster hunt, the siblings didn't plan to venture too far. They aimed for a day trip—leaving in the morning and returning by evening.

They boarded a bus operated by the Hunters' Alliance, heading toward the city's edge. The view from the window transitioned from skyscrapers to suburban towns and eventually to the wild mountain forests.

In the distance, two towering snow-capped peaks appeared, flanking a high city wall with a series of military camps and watchtowers in between.

"That's the Snow Peak Outpost," Lu Mei explained softly. "It's where Bo City's military mages are stationed. It's the only passage out of the city and serves as a stronghold to fend off demon wolf hordes and protect Bo City."

The bus stopped here. The hunters disembarked in silence, their faces grim. Every monster hunt was a gamble with their lives, leaving no room for laughter.

As the siblings passed through the Snow Peak Outpost, they saw soldiers and mages patrolling in squads. They were stopped for a routine check of their credentials before being allowed to proceed.

"What? You two—just a teenage boy and a greenhorn girl barely out of school—think you can leave the city? Are you throwing your lives away?"

A voice full of disdain rang out. A rugged young officer, wearing a military coat, strode toward them with an imposing aura.

Around him, soldiers and hunters alike paused and saluted with respect, calling out, "Commander!" or "Boss Zhan Kong!"

The officer glanced at the siblings and looked surprised at Lu Mei. "Oh, a mid-tier mage."

Frowning, Lu Mei asked, "And you are? Why are you stopping us?"

"Me?" The rugged officer pointed to the ground and declared with authority, "I'm Zhan Kong, the commander here, in charge of Bo City's military operations."

As his words fell, Lu Mei remained calm, but Lu Jun's heart trembled. Zhan Kong was another familiar name—an important character in the original storyline. He had always been a mentor figure, sheltering Mo Fan and Zhang Xiaohou as they grew stronger.

According to the timeline, Zhan Kong had indeed arrived in Bo City a year ago, essentially as a form of exile.

Currently, Zhan Kong's cultivation was undoubtedly high-tier, and he had mastery over three high-tier elements. Whether his cultivation was complete or not was uncertain, but his strength was enough to face Commander-level monsters alone. He was a true prodigy.

Moreover, his background was exceptional. Zhan Kong was a direct descendant of the Zu Clan, an ancient international family tracing its lineage back to the Qin Dynasty and Emperor Qin Shi Huang, also known as the Ancient King.

Even someone of his stature was exiled, and the reason was simple: his girlfriend, Qin Yu'er, was a Calamity Afflicted, just like Mu Ningxue, an Ice Element Calamity Afflicted.

The Five Continental Magic Associations held a joint trial. Zhan Kong was cast down into the mortal world, and Qin Yu'er was eternally sealed in the distant Tianshan Mountains.

Consider the status of the Zu Clan—multiple Forbidden Curse mages within their ranks and deep international connections. Unlike the Mu Clan, which focused on domestic power, the Zu Clan had strong ties with the leaders of various continents. Despite this, they still couldn't protect Zhan Kong and Qin Yu'er!

Lu Jun understood clearly. The example was right before him. Their ultimate fate was undeniably tragic. The so-called righteous paths were merciless to geniuses, annihilating potential competitors under the guise of justice.

Such cases were everywhere. Lu Jun had long abandoned any illusions about this world. From the moment he transmigrated, he had been preparing for the battles ahead: Build high walls, gather resources, and bide your time before making a move!