Versatile Mage: Starting with the White Tiger Pendant

Songjiang Dam.

"My name's Gao Sheng." The middle-aged fisherman grinned as he introduced himself to Lu Jun. "Councilman Zhu Meng sent me."

As he spoke, he patted the white baiji dolphin beneath him with pride. "Rest assured, my strength might be average, but these white baiji dolphins are Warrior-level. Their power is no joke—one of them can handle several ordinary mid-tier mages at once."

Before coming, Gao Sheng had done his homework. Upon discovering Lu Jun's impressive feats, particularly the video of his battle at Pearl Academy, Gao Sheng was awestruck. Recognizing Lu Jun as a rising star, he decisively decided to stick close to him.

"Warrior-level, huh?" Lu Jun glanced at the creature beneath Gao Sheng. The white baiji dolphin was over ten meters long, its body smooth and lustrous like jade. Its fine keratin-like surface resembled a rubbery texture, while its round head and small, shiny black eyes gave it an endearing, harmless appearance.

Lu Jun's water-element star atlas faintly resonated with the dolphins. Through his psychic sense, he could feel the pure and lively emotions of the creatures, devoid of the violent and bloodthirsty nature typical of demon beasts.

Curious, he asked, "Do they have water-controlling abilities? Are they contracted beasts, or just tamed creatures?"

"Uh…" Gao Sheng scratched his head awkwardly. "They're not tamed."

"Demon beasts?!" Lu Mei exclaimed, alarmed. She instinctively pulled Lu Jun back a few steps and questioned, "Are you sure this is reinforcement?"

Gao Sheng opened his mouth but found it difficult to explain.

At that moment, Nan Jue spoke up. "Let me clarify. This is classified military information, but since Councilman Zhu Meng sent them here, I guess it's fine for you to know. These are white baiji dolphins, a unique kind of demon beast."

Thanks to Nan Jue, an insider, Lu Jun and the others quickly learned the full story.

Lu Mei found the situation odd. She had never heard of a demon beast species actively seeking out humans for protection. Meanwhile, Tang Yue remained silent, seemingly connecting the dots.

As for Lu Jun, he took it in stride. Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he realized this must be one of those hidden stories omitted from the original timeline. After all, the real world had countless nuances that Mo Fan's perspective couldn't capture.

Lu Jun glanced at the playful dolphins spraying water at each other in the river. "A handful of minor demons like this? It would take decades for them to repopulate into a tribe. By the time the sea demons invade eight or nine years from now, they'll be irrelevant."

The group decided to disregard Gao Sheng's grand claims about forming an aquatic army, as it seemed far-fetched without some form of extraordinary intervention.

Curious, Lu Jun asked, "How did you even come into contact with these white baiji dolphins? Their tribe was wiped out, yet a few survivors sought you out?"

"That's a long story." Gao Sheng climbed off the baiji dolphin and sat on its rubbery back as he lit a cigarette. He sighed. "Back in the day, I suffered a severe injury that left me half-crippled. Then I heard rumors about a demon species called white baiji dolphins. Supposedly, their corpses could produce white jade glue, a miraculous substance capable of rejuvenating one's body and repairing broken star seas."

Gao Sheng recounted his tale of hunting these dolphins, only to find that white jade glue was a scam. Disheartened, he tried to leave, but he was attacked by white sturgeon demons on the way back. He would have drowned if not for the baiji dolphins saving him.

This strange encounter forged a bond between Gao Sheng and the dolphins. Through further investigation, he learned that these creatures were unusually friendly toward humans. People living near their habitat often secretly fed them, and the dolphins, in turn, would rescue anyone who fell into the water, even when other demons attacked.

The fishermen dared not report this relationship to the authorities, fearing it would be exploited. It remained a hidden secret for years.

Driven by curiosity, Gao Sheng devoted himself to studying the baiji dolphins, hoping to develop a method to domesticate them as waterborne companions. However, the Longjiang flood eventually devastated their habitat. Most of the dolphins were slaughtered, leaving only a few survivors that Gao Sheng managed to save.

"So, I don't know what Zhu Meng is thinking," Gao Sheng sighed. "Bringing the baiji dolphins here… Sure, their Warrior-level strength is valuable on a small scale, but their research potential is far greater. The Imperial Capital doesn't lack Warrior-level combatants."

Lu Jun stroked his chin, realizing Zhu Meng's true intentions. With a smirk, he pointed to the reservoir upstream. "Is it possible that we don't need their combat power either?"

Gao Sheng was momentarily confused. He urged the playful dolphins to move upstream, but a pungent stench and the sight of blood-red water left him stunned. The farther they traveled, the more vibrant the crimson hue became, as if an entire reservoir had been dyed with scarlet pigment.

Suddenly, the baiji dolphins froze in their tracks, trembling in fear. Gao Sheng was forced to ride them closer to investigate.

What he saw left him speechless.

The reservoir was a blood-soaked battlefield, with piles of crocodile demon corpses—each about seven or eight meters long—strewn across the surface. There were at least a thousand of them.

Realization struck him like lightning. Zhu Meng's strategy was brilliant—using the heavily fortified and blood-stained Songjiang Dam as a sanctuary for the dolphins. The safest place was often the one everyone overlooked.

"You're truly impressive, kid," Gao Sheng muttered, astonished by the young man's feat. "This is something only a high-level mage could pull off. I'll leave the dolphins in your care."

"Not a problem." Lu Jun nodded, while Nan Jue stood silently by, having already deduced Zhu Meng's plan.

And so, the five humans and several dolphins stayed at the dam for over ten days. To their surprise, very few crocodile demons ventured near the area. The occasional stragglers were easily dealt with by Lu Jun.

When the demons launched their full-scale assault on Huangpu River, the distant sky was illuminated by dazzling lightning. Nine thunder pikes pierced the heavens as deafening roars echoed. The turbulent tide even rippled through Songjiang, a testament to the battle's ferocity.

Human mages were locked in a life-and-death struggle against the demon hordes.

Lu Jun and the others could only watch from afar, aware that it was a battlefield for super-tier mages.

A few hours later, the lightning subsided, and the raging tide calmed, returning Songjiang to its tranquil state.

News soon arrived: a sub-Monarch-level white sturgeon demon had launched a surprise attack on a naval base. Though the base was destroyed, Zhu Meng personally killed the sub-commander, dealing a heavy blow to the demon forces. The Longjiang flood was finally under control, leaving only the Jiangling front to be resolved.

Meanwhile, rumors of Lu Jun's solo defense of the dam began to spread. Many had witnessed Zhu Meng rushing to the dam, and the subsequent confirmation of the battle's outcome only added to Lu Jun's growing reputation.

"He's the real deal," one hunter remarked. "I heard he's with Clear Sky Hunter Agency. The guy even took on the Black Vatican head-on. Hardcore."

"Yeah, and he's just a student! Rumor has it that Zhu Meng personally recognizes his talent. Man, I wish I had half his skill when I was nineteen."

The tale caught the attention of Shanghai's media, who saw it as a heartening story of resilience and heroism.

Shortly afterward, news from Jiangling confirmed that a coalition of over ten super-tier mages had heavily injured the Crocodile King, marking the end of the November flood.

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