Versatile Mage: White Tiger Pendant

Chapter 2: Mo Fan and Zhang Xiaohou

Early in the morning, Lu Jun rose from his sleep.

Downstairs in the living room, he found his sister busy preparing a hearty breakfast, while he munched on bread, engrossed in a drama on TV.

Lu Mei hadn't pursued a magical university education; it was no easy feat to gain admission in the world of magic. Instead, she had become a field mage straight out of high school, spending two years on the demon-hunting team. During normal times, she had half a year of leisure.

Her relatively carefree life at home had left Lu Jun rather envious. To be honest, all he needed was to awaken his magic, and he could lead a contented life anywhere in this world.

In the realm of full-time mages, technology was nonexistent. Modern conveniences like mobile phones and trains were all powered by magic principles.

Magicians were classified into five primary levels: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert, and the Legendary Forbidden Spells, which was straightforward and easy to comprehend.

However, there were numerous systems, with Elemental Magic, Dimensional Magic, White Magic, and Black Magic being the four major categories. Leaving aside the latter three for now, awakening in the first system was, in essence, a rarity.

Elemental Magic alone featured seven elements: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Thunder, Ice, and Light. Earth corresponded to the Earth element, often referred to as the Rock element.

Novice magicians were those who had just awakened, usually limited to a single system. As they advanced to the Intermediate level, they could integrate an additional system, and upon reaching the Advanced level, yet another system.

In other words, all those who had mastered Forbidden Spells worldwide could only master five systems of magic.

Each system had its own progression. For Intermediate magicians, awakening a second system required them to start from the beginning and work their way up.

"I wonder which system I'll awaken and what talents I'll possess. Could I possibly have two natural systems?" Lu Jun pondered. The only exception in this system was Natural Talent, akin to various physiques found in fantasy novels. Individuals like the protagonist, Mo Fan, were born with dual systems — two systems at Novice, four at Intermediate, and so forth.

He remained optimistic. Exceptional talent translated to a strong livelihood, while ordinary awakened magicians would have correspondingly ordinary prospects.

After breakfast, Lu Jun called out, "Sister, I'm off to school."

"Wait a moment." Upon hearing this, Lu Mei rose from her seat, approaching her brother with a warm smile.

Lu Jun's face flushed slightly. His sister was exceptionally tall, nearly 1.8 meters.

Suddenly, he leaned in, and before he could react, he found himself enveloped in a warm, soft embrace. A subtle fragrance filled his senses, accompanied by his sister's reassuring breath and encouragement. "Go on, you've got this," she whispered into his ear.

Lu Jun was initially bewildered, but as his heart settled, the phrase "kind and caring" came to mind. His hands unconsciously rested on Lu Mei's supple waist, and her shapely buttocks provided a comfortable handhold. Lowering his head, he mumbled an affirmative response.

Initially, Lu Mei gazed affectionately at her brother, but she soon sensed something amiss, feeling an odd tingling sensation. When she lowered her head to inspect the situation, her face reddened, and she scolded, "Enough, get going!" "Hehe." Lu Jun, embarrassed, extricated himself from his sister's warm embrace.

...

Having bid farewell to Lu Mei, Lu Jun proceeded to Tianlan College. The streets were bustling with students coming from all directions. He was placed in Class 18, Grade 1.

In the Great Magic Playground, 1,500 students from twenty different classes had gathered. The opening ceremony was commencing, and so was the awakening ceremony.

Lu Jun stood at the forefront of his class, casting a glance at the two groups of chattering classmates behind him. He overheard a familiar name.

"Mo Fan, you only got in through a backdoor. You lack ability, and your awakening may fail. It's better to give up and not waste the energy of the Awakening Stone," a boy named Zhao Kunsan sarcastically remarked.

A handsome boy with short, black hair paid no heed, while a slender, slightly darker-skinned boy beside him grew indignant, retorting, "Don't pay attention to this fool, Brother Mo Fan. Just wait until you awaken the Fire element! Show him what it means to underestimate someone with eyes like a dog!"

Hearing this, Lu Jun glanced at the two boys: the "cheap" one was Mo Fan, and the skinny boy, called a "mud monkey," was Zhang Xiaohou.

He was taken aback. Though he knew the plot of the Versatile Mage quite well, he couldn't recall the specific class Mo Fan was in. Familiarizing himself with Bo City was one thing, but he hadn't anticipated such an incredible coincidence.

Lu Jun observed them attentively, etching their appearances firmly in his memory. He felt deeply moved. Who would have guessed that these two ordinary students would become such prominent figures? One would become the most formidable wielder of forbidden curses and an all-powerful god of magic in this magical world, while the other would become famous.

Surprisingly, his keen gaze didn't escape Mo Fan's notice. Mo Fan furrowed his brow, wondering which scion of an aristocratic family this presumptuous bastard who was staring at him might be.

Mo Fan was well aware of his childhood escapades, especially his involvement with Princess Mu, which had caused plenty of anger. In the circle of Bo City's wealthy and powerful heirs, there was hardly anyone who didn't harbor a deep-seated resentment toward him. And they were determined not to be outdone.

The two of them exchanged a passionate look, leaving Lu Jun somewhat embarrassed. He looked away first, conceding that such audacity was indeed characteristic of a protagonist.

Lu Jun understood that Mo Fan came from an ordinary family, but his father was a skilled chauffeur. The Mu family, governing various domains, was the most prominent in Bo City. However, the family in Bo City was just a branch, with the main lineage located in the imperial capital.

Mo Fan had lived in the opulent mansion of a wealthy family since childhood, subtly influenced by his surroundings. Moreover, he had faced numerous hardships as a child, shaping his unyielding spirit. Once you've seen the view from the mountaintop, how could you not strive to reach it? Mo Fan never succumbed to stage fright when confronted with challenging situations; he possessed immense determination.

After contemplating for a moment, Lu Jun casually remarked, "There's no definitive correlation between academic performance and the likelihood of awakening one's magic. It's a matter of probability. Success can occur regardless of high or low academic achievement. Of course, having magician parents significantly increases one's chances of success. Take the Mu family, for instance; their fame in ice magic is well-known. Generations of ice magicians within their lineage have inherited a potent magical aptitude, and failure is nearly unheard of."

As these words left his mouth, the three individuals reacted differently. Mo Fan seemed surprised. It appeared that Lu Jun's words were supportive of him. Aside from Zhang Xiaohou, Lu Jun was one of the few who hadn't ridiculed him over the years.

Zhao Kunsan, initially inclined to lash out at Lu Jun, held back. He took pride in his association with Mu Bai, the Mu family's scion in Bocheng, which shaped his attitude.

Mu Bai, the class's top student and a charming young man, turned around and cast an approving look at Lu Jun. As expected, he was Mu Bai, an essential supporting character in the later stages of the story who had initially clashed with Mo Fan.

Of course, Mu Bai wasn't inherently malevolent, and when the Bo City disaster struck three years later, he and Mo Fan would join forces to ensure the safety of their entire class, putting past conflicts aside.

Lu Jun maintained a composed demeanor. His words couldn't possibly offend anyone. He was confident in his conversational skills.

However, he sighed internally. The gaping chasm between the powerful elite and the common folk in this magical realm was disheartening. The ruling class, firmly entrenched and proud to serve aristocratic families, rendered Mo Fan incompatible with those who came from a world governed by scientific equality.

He had faced ridicule and oppression from countless individuals along his journey. In the eyes of Long Aotian, this stemmed from Mo Fan's origins as a servant in the elite class—a servant who dared to resist and defy his master.

Upon reflection, what could one do? Consider the four primary magical systems: Curse, Shadow, Undead, and Poison. Any of these could silently take the lives of ordinary people, without a trace. Even the police would be none the wiser. Detecting such matters was beyond the capabilities of most mages, expert or not.

It felt incredibly powerless, and going against the grain often meant death. Thus, the only option was to strive to win favor and curry favor with those in power.

Lu Jun silently resolved to become the god of forbidden spells; otherwise, he'd find it impossible to preserve his dignity in this brutal world.