Versatile Mage: Starting with the White Tiger Pendant

In the courtyard, Lu Jun finally laid eyes on the special alloy produced by the magic laboratory. Shaped into a heavy sword, it was a pitch-black, gleaming strip about four feet long (approximately 1.2 meters), exuding an impression of immense weight.

"Zhenjin, the hardest metal in the world, comes from the depths of the universe and is mined from fallen meteorites. If it weren't for its lack of magical properties or special effects, one might mistake it for a powerful magic metal," Lu Mei introduced.

She continued, "This alloy, made with Zhenjin as the main component and blended with other metals, boasts exceptional properties. It can withstand the strength of a Commander-level demon without breaking and remains completely undamaged even under the attacks of high-tier mages."

Demons were humanity's greatest enemy, categorized from the lowest Servant-level to Warrior-level, Commander-level, Lord-level, and King-level, corresponding to the five human magical stages: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and beyond.

Typically, demons possessed immensely strong bodies and demonic magic. Their combat ability was equivalent to seven or eight mages of the same level. This applied even at the Servant-level, and the gap widened significantly at higher tiers.

Only a handful of extraordinary individuals—those gifted with superior talent, magical equipment, and spiritual seeds—could single-handedly confront demons of equivalent rank.

"Tsk tsk tsk, this must take super-tier fire magic to melt. What a steal."

Lu Jun realized how much of a bargain it was to acquire this alloy for just a million yuan.

"Go on, try it out!" Lu Mei urged excitedly, her curiosity evident. "I haven't seen any of the skills of this new magic element yet. If it's powerful, I might awaken it in the future."

Hearing this, Lu Jun admired his sister's boldness and confidence in the new element he had pioneered.

"Beginner Level 1: Forge · Sharpen!"

Lu Jun guided his star energy, casting the beginner-level metal magic. A platinum-colored star trail appeared, resembling a sharp flying sword.

This faint white streak didn't dissipate but instead hovered mid-air as a phantom, connected by seven shining stars.

Picking up the heavy Zhenjin sword, he directed the streak to fall upon it. A sizzling sound echoed as the black alloy, though incredibly hard and unyielding, was marked with glowing red lines under the influence of the magic.

Buzz!

Gripping the heavy sword with both hands, Lu Jun imbued it with a platinum glow that spread across its length, as though infusing it with a mystical vitality.

Soon, his face turned pale as his mental energy dimmed, his metallic stardust running dry.

Clang!

The Zhenjin sword emitted a resonant hum. Its black surface gleamed anew, now interwoven with golden patterns, exuding an aura of majesty and sanctity.

"Success! It's transformed into a demon-slaying weapon!" Lu Jun exclaimed in delight, sensing the sword's ability to merge into his metallic stardust for nurturing.

This was a defining characteristic of magical equipment—once imprinted with a mage's spiritual signature, it could be stored within their mental world, becoming a mark. When infused with energy, it would reappear in the physical realm.

The mental world served as a sort of independent space.

For metal mages, they were restricted to a single piece of exclusive equipment, akin to a life-bound magical treasure that accompanied them for life.

The newly-forged Zhenjin sword now bore intricate golden patterns. When inactive, it retained its metallic sheen; in combat, it radiated a platinum brilliance, bestowing unparalleled slaying power.

Lu Mei was astonished. She hadn't expected such a masterpiece to emerge. Within the beginner stage, this magical weapon was undoubtedly top-tier. Its durability alone surpassed many Soul-level artifacts, instantly multiplying its value several times over.

Her own shield, worth only tens of thousands, could barely withstand a full-power strike from an upper-mid-tier Servant-level demon.

As Lu Jun immersed himself in his thoughts, a smile spread across his face. The Zhenjin sword, sharpened by metal magic, had reached new levels of durability, developing the additional effect of Fortitude. It could now endure the strength of a mid-tier Commander-level demon without breaking, hinting at its potential for immortality.

Advancing to intermediate, advanced, and super-tier magic would allow further enhancement by integrating various metals, imbuing it with multiple effects.

"This is like Mo Fan's innate Devouring Seed, but with minerals instead of spiritual seeds. A unique feature of the metal element, offering the potential for everyone to craft their own treasures."

Lu Jun noticed a similarity. The so-called Devouring Seed was essentially a special spiritual seed. Ordinary seeds could occasionally grant additional effects, such as healing for water magic or poison for plant magic.

However, these effects were typically replaced when the seed was upgraded. The Devouring Seed, on the other hand, retained all effects, stacking them together.

If someone's natural talent included this effect, reaching the advanced stage and obtaining both spiritual and soul seeds would allow them to unleash triple-layered effects with a single skill—vastly superior to ordinary mages.

That said, while the Zhenjin sword was unyielding, its lethality wasn't solely determined by its sharpness. Even the sturdiest blade would be no better than a blunt stick without proper refinement.

The true power of the weapon came from magic: beginner-level Forge · Sharpen, mid-level Enhance, and high-level Metallic Radiance.

"Test its combat capabilities before you end up with a dud," Lu Mei suggested, bringing over a ten-centimeter-thick steel plate out of curiosity.

Buzz!

Lu Jun raised the Zhenjin sword, channeling his energy. The golden patterns shimmered brilliantly as he swung the blade down. Instead of the anticipated metallic clash, the sword seemed to cut through effortlessly, as though slicing through mud.

With a metallic clang, the black blade cleaved the heavy steel into two halves, leaving its tip embedded in the ground. The severed pieces bounced aside.

Cuts through steel like butter!

Lu Jun inhaled sharply. However, the effort had drained his stardust completely, and the sword dissolved into platinum light, retreating into his mental world.

Within his platinum stardust, a sword imprint floated, nourished by the warm aura of his White Tiger pendant.

"Ten-centimeter steel plate," Lu Mei marveled, examining the smooth cross-section. "A Servant-level demon's keratinous armor shouldn't be this tough."

The destructive potential was staggering.

Beginner lightning or fire mages might need three or four spells, heavily shielded by their teammates, to kill a weaker Servant-level demon. In contrast, the metal element offered a chance to slay with a single strike.

Yet, as an experienced hunter of over forty demons in two years, Lu Mei quickly identified a flaw, frowning. "But it's melee-only? This element has a big problem."

Mages were too fragile. Even at super-tier, getting too close to a low-tier demon could be fatal. Close-combat mages were exceedingly rare, especially at the beginner stage.

Lu Jun understood. At the beginner level, fifty meters was the critical safety distance. A Servant-level demon could cover this in two or three seconds—the exact time it took for a trained mage to cast a spell.

With two well-timed spells, they could fend off an approaching threat. While the metal element might have greater lethality than lightning or fire, its lack of range was a critical weakness.

"This element might be useless," Lu Mei sighed. "Fighting in melee is like a child swinging a blade, courting death with no room for error."

Lu Jun also wondered if he had the courage to wield this sword against ferocious demons. A Servant-level demon was more terrifying than any tiger or wolf. Casting spells from a distance was one thing, but engaging in close combat seemed an impossible feat.

However, recalling the disasters to come, he steeled his resolve. Just as Mo Fan had honed his skills through city hunting before venturing into the wilds, he could also start small and grow steadily.

"No!" Lu Jun declared resolutely. "I'll practice metal magic and join the city's demon-hunting squad to sharpen my skills."

This winter break would be the perfect opportunity to improve himself.