Versatile Mage: White Tiger Pendant

Chapter 5: Introduction to Elementary Metal Magic

Unlocking the power of magic is a straightforward process, consisting of just three simple steps:

First, Meditate.

Second, Control.

Third, Release!.

Meditation serves to enhance spiritual power and stardust magic energy, thereby refining one's cultivation. Control, on the other hand, involves orchestrating the alignment of stars, culminating in the release of magic through a predefined spellcasting framework.

Lu Jun found himself deeply immersed in the realm of spirituality, where two fragments of stardust, one blue and the other platinum, radiated brilliantly. Each fragment bore seven radiant stars that ascended and descended in a mesmerizing dance.

For context, "[Stardust]" is a reference to star dust. Given a junior magician's level of cultivation, it might seem insignificant in the vast world of spirituality, hence the apt name.

One of these stardust fragments comprised seven stars, connected in what's known as a "[star track]"—a crucial element for casting spells.

Now, as an intermediate magician, stardust evolves into a "[Nebula]," housing a constellation of forty-nine star particles. To cast a spell, it necessitates seven star trails forming a meticulously designed "[Star Map]."

In the realm of magic, the journey to advanced spellcasting is often seen as uneventful. Each department offers just one magic per level. It's only when junior magicians master one skill that they can join forces in teams to mutually benefit.

Upon successfully navigating the two intermediate systems, there's greater flexibility to explore four distinct skills. Alternatively, magicians can rely on "magic equipment," akin to arming themselves with magical weapons. However, these tools have substantial limitations, permitting only one activation within a defined timeframe, regardless of whether they are offensive or defensive in nature.

"This is precisely why innate talents hold such significance," Lu Jun reflected quietly. "They come equipped with unique abilities, followed by the presence of spiritual seeds and soul seeds. Refining these entities can greatly amplify one's power." These "spiritual seeds" and "soul seeds" are somewhat analogous to the concept of "Dou Po Yi."

In the elemental system, the concept of "fire flow" is introduced, a facet absent in ordinary spells. For regular individuals, water is just water, fire is just fire, and thunder is merely thunder, devoid of special effects or formidable power.

By delving into the refinement of spiritual seeds and soul seeds, while mastering different elemental forces, one's power can surge several levels beyond that of peers at the same stage. However, such pursuits come at a considerable cost. Spiritual seeds can only be accommodated at the intermediate level, while soul seeds necessitate even higher ranks. Beyond spiritual seeds lies the elusive soul seed, which remains a distant possibility unless one boasts a natural affinity for mastering spiritual seeds.

At this juncture, Lu Jun temporarily set aside the [gold element] stardust and redirected his focus toward the [water element] stardust.

After careful consideration, he decided to channel his efforts into the water element. The metal element, due to its lack of visibility and absence of a primary magic template, rendered it impossible to manipulate the stars effectively.

And then, a sudden buzz! When Lu Jun's thoughts made contact with the water element stardust, the white tiger pendant hanging from his neck trembled. A rush of information surged into his mind, prompting a surprised expression. It turned out to contain the star track arrangement for [gold element] primary magic.

"Haha, it appears you can't resist my exploration of the gold system," he chuckled, acknowledging that the White Tiger Pendant was indeed a formidable magical tool, possessing unique and high-level abilities.

Despite having resolved the matter concerning metal magic, Lu Jun opted to commence his practice with water magic, as this held significant relevance to his school assessment.

As he embarked on his inaugural practice session, his thoughts delved into the blue stardust. Initially tranquil, the seven blue stars became agitated upon the arrival of external influences. Each of them traced an elegant path through the stardust, artfully eluding Lu Jun's attempts to capture them.

For a brief moment, Lu Jun found nothing, not even a water star. Such an experience was perfectly normal. Each magical element boasted its own distinctive temperament, necessitating patience and mutual adaptation.

In the ordinary course of events, it typically takes about a year for regular individuals to successfully conjure primary magic—a feat regarded as highly commendable.

After a tiring day at school, Lu Jun returned home feeling drained. Regular peoe could meditate for five hours, but controlling the stars took only two hours and demanded intense mental effort.

As he approached home, he noticed an unusual whirlwind enveloping the house, carrying a thick wind element—a surprising sight.

"Sister, I'm back," he called out upon entering the living room.

To his astonishment, he found Lu Mei seated cross-legged on the sofa, floating about three feet above the ground, radiating a green glow all around her.

With a gentle smile, she opened her eyes and said, "Dear brother, I've reached the intermediate level as a wind system magician. You can hold your head high in Bo City from now on."

This revelation startled Lu Jun. Achieving the intermediate level at the age of twenty put her on par with students at Pearl University. While it was somewhat easier to attain the intermediate level, his sister had still spent two years to get there.

"How about you?" Lu Mei asked, concerned. "Which magical departments have you awakened?"

Lu Jun hesitated but decided to share as they depended on each other to practice magic. To practice magic he needed support from his sister after all.

"I've awakened two departments," he replied.

Upon hearing this, Lu Mei was initially confused, her red lips slightly parted as her gaze bore into him. "Innate talent? Born with two departments?"

The pride of reaching the intermediate rank disappeared in an instant.

"Wait a moment," she hurried over to her brother, speaking seriously. "Don't reveal this to anyone other than me. We could attract unwanted attention. Only expose it when you reach a higher level and can protect yourself. Which two departments did you awaken?"

"I'm not foolish," Lu Jun reassured her. "They're Water and Gold."

"Huh?" Lu Mei was puzzled. While she understood Water, Gold was a mystery.

She continued to question him repeatedly until Lu Jun demonstrated the distinct platinum magic energy associated with the Gold system.

"A whole new department?" Lu Mei exclaimed with solemnity, gazing at her brother. "Brother, you're destined to become a great magician, on par with figures like Emperor Shihuang and Faraday."

Relieved to see his sister firmly on his side, Lu Jun felt a mix of emotions.

While the fundamental magic world paralleled his previous life, it now centered around magic. For instance, Qin Shihuang was the pioneer of the Earth system and an originator of the Undead system, responsible for marvels like the Great Wall and the imperial tomb.

Inquisitively, Lu Mei asked, "What kind of magic does the basic Gold system offer? You know that using star control for magic often results in weak or self-harming spells."

"Gold element?" Lu Jun recollected the information from the White Tiger Pendant, wearing a puzzled expression. The basic Gold system magic was called "[Forging]."

As the name implied, it involved crafting artifacts from metal, such as swords, bells, cauldrons, and mirrors. Then, infuse them with magic to imprint the primary Gold system magic, transforming them into magical tools. They evolved in the spiritual world's Gold stardust as one's cultivation level increased.

Unlike ordinary magical tools, metal magic could continuously harm enemies as long as the stardust's magic energy wasn't depleted.

Typically, even junior magicians utilizing ordinary magical tools couldn't stop their activation once initiated. These same-level magic-slaying tools exceeded basic fire and thunder magic in power but lacked long-lasting effects.

The plan was for Lu Jun to use defensive magic from the Water element during the initial phase, as he intended to transform the Gold element into a destructive force. Gold was renowned for its offensive capabilities, surpassing even thunder and fire magic. The primary magic description indicated this potential.

Unfortunately, there were no known Gold system casters, and even star control wouldn't unlock its full potential. Thus, Mr. Lu's top priority was to find suitable materials to forge weapons, and he turned to his sister for assistance.

Materials were critical. Basic Gold stardust could only accommodate standard metals, but with the right alloy, the added special effects could rival those of soul seeds and innate talents.

Extreme care was necessary when forging primary Gold element tools, using robust materials. The stars integrated into the magical tools were vulnerable; their destruction would render the entire system partially useless.

"It requires a metal alloy," Lu Jun sighed. 

"I might need help from my friends at the university to customize it in their labs."

Lu Mei reflected on this and asked her brother to

await news. She smiled and added, "By the way, welcome home, and congratulations on becoming a mage."