Chapter 5: Elementary Metal Magic

The process of casting magic is incredibly simple and consists of just three steps.

First, Meditation.

Second, Control.

Third, Release!

As the names suggest, meditation is for enhancing spiritual power and stardust magic energy, thereby improving cultivation. Control is about arranging the stars, and finally, following a fixed casting model to release the magic.

Lu Jun immersed himself in his spiritual world. Two pieces of stardust, one blue and one platinum, shone brightly, with each containing seven radiant stars floating within.

Stardust, as the name implies, represents the dust of stars. For an elementary mage, their cultivation is insignificant within the vast spiritual world, making the name quite fitting.

Each element corresponds to one piece of stardust, containing seven stars. Connecting these seven stars forms a Star Path, which is the foundation for casting magic.

At the intermediate level, stardust evolves into a Star Cloud, containing 49 stars. Casting magic then requires combining seven Star Paths into a Star Atlas.

In the magical world, casting spells before reaching the advanced stage is highly rigid. Each element has only one magic per stage. At the elementary level, mages are limited to one skill per element, requiring teamwork to leverage individual strengths.

Upon reaching the intermediate level and mastering two elements, having four skills provides some flexibility.

Alternatively, one can rely on external aids, introducing the concept of Magic Tools. These are akin to equipment or treasures that can be used once in a given period, whether for offensive purposes like slicing magic tools or defensive ones like shield magic tools.

"That's why natural talents are so precious," Lu Jun thought to himself. Talents come with unique abilities, followed by spiritual seeds and soul seeds that can significantly enhance the power of one's magic.

Lu Jun shook his head in reflection. Spirit seeds and soul seeds are akin to the concept of heavenly flames in other tales, exclusive to elemental systems. Ordinary magic involves mundane water, fire, or lightning without any special effects or overwhelming power.

However, refining a spiritual or soul seed grants control over unique elements like extraordinary water or fire, far surpassing peers of the same level.

These treasures are incredibly expensive and can only be integrated at the intermediate level for spiritual seeds and at the advanced level for soul seeds. Unless born with these talents, such opportunities feel distant.

At this moment, Lu Jun ignored the Metal Element stardust and focused on the Water Element.

After much deliberation, he decided to invest his efforts into the Water Element since the Metal Element couldn't be revealed. Additionally, it lacked a template for elementary magic, making it impossible to control its stars.

Buzz!

However, as Lu Jun's thoughts connected with the Water Element stardust, the white tiger pendant hanging around his neck trembled. Information surged into his mind, leaving him pleasantly surprised—it was the star arrangement for Elementary Metal Magic.

"Haha, I knew the Metal Element wouldn't leave me hanging."

Without a doubt, the white tiger pendant was a high-level magic tool with unique capabilities.

Though the issue of Metal Magic was resolved, Lu Jun remained committed to training the Water Element first, as it was crucial for his school assessments.

During his initial training, Lu Jun ventured into the blue stardust. The seven azure stars, initially calm, became agitated upon sensing his intrusion. Each star carved elegant paths in the stardust, evading his grasp.

After some time, Lu Jun achieved nothing—not even capturing a single Water Element star. This was normal, as every magic element had a distinct temperament that required the mage to learn to harmonize with it.

For ordinary people, it typically took about a year to successfully cast their first elementary spell—a decent achievement.

After school, Lu Jun returned home, mentally exhausted. Most people could meditate for five hours, but controlling stars limited them to just two hours due to the intense mental strain.

When he arrived home, he sensed a peculiar whirlwind surrounding the house. Dense Wind Element energy filled the air, leaving him astonished.

"Sis, I'm home!" Lu Jun called out upon entering the living room.

Soon, he saw his sister, Lu Mei, floating three feet above the sofa, surrounded by a green glow.

She slowly opened her eyes, smiled, and said, "Your sister is now an intermediate mage, specializing in Wind. From now on, you can walk around Bo City with pride."

Hearing this, Lu Jun was shocked. Reaching the intermediate level at twenty was impressive, comparable to students from Pearl University. Even so, it had taken his sister two years to pass this stage.

"How about you?" Lu Mei asked with concern. "What element did you awaken?"

After some hesitation, Lu Jun decided to reveal his dual elements. They had always relied on each other, so there was no reason to hide it. Moreover, considering the Metal Element stardust, he would need her support to gather resources for training.

"I awakened two elements," he said.

Lu Mei was momentarily stunned, her red lips slightly parted, and her eyes widened. "Innate talent?! Dual elements?"

Her pride in advancing to the intermediate level vanished instantly.

"Wait a second," she rushed to him with urgency. "Don't tell anyone else! If word gets out, people with ill intentions might target you. Keep it hidden until you reach the intermediate level and can protect yourself. By the way, which two elements are they?"

"I'm not stupid," Lu Jun replied. "Water and... Metal."

"Huh?" Lu Mei blinked in confusion. She understood Water but had no idea about Metal.

She asked repeatedly until Lu Jun demonstrated the sharp, platinum-colored magic energy unique to the Metal Element. Only then did she believe him.

"A brand-new element?!" Lu Mei's expression turned serious. Looking at her brother, she sighed, "Little brother, you're destined to be a great mage, standing shoulder to shoulder with figures like the First Emperor and Faraday."

Seeing his sister remain supportive, Lu Jun felt relieved, though slightly embarrassed.

The magical world's basic framework mirrored his previous life but replaced science with magic. For instance, the First Emperor was not only the originator of the Earth Element but also the founder of the Undead Element, creating magical marvels like the Great Wall and the royal tombs.

Finally, Lu Mei asked curiously, "What's the elementary Metal Element skill? You should know that improperly controlling stars to cast spells could either be ineffective or harm yourself."

"Metal Element, huh?" Lu Jun recalled the information from the white tiger pendant. His expression turned peculiar. The elementary Metal Magic skill was called Forging.

As the name implied, it involved crafting objects from metal—anything from swords to bells, mirrors, or towers. These could then be infused with magic, transforming into magic tools nurtured within the Metal Element stardust. They would evolve alongside the user's cultivation.

Unlike ordinary magic tools, which were one-time-use, Metal Element magic tools could be used repeatedly as long as the stardust's energy wasn't depleted.

Even the weakest elementary magic tool, when activated, was unrivaled among mages of the same level. Offensive tools were stronger than Fire or Lightning elementary spells but had limited duration, making them suitable only for emergencies.

With this discovery, Lu Jun saw a way to overcome the awkward period where the Water Element only provided defensive spells. He decided to develop the Metal Element into a destructive force.

The Metal Element, associated with sharpness and killing power, had always been regarded as the strongest in combat, surpassing even Fire and Lightning in reputation. Based on the description of its elementary magic, it certainly had the potential.

However, without forging materials, controlling the stars wouldn't be effective. Thus, Lu Jun decided to seek his sister's help in gathering suitable resources.

The choice of materials was crucial. While the Metal Element stardust could only accommodate ordinary metals at the elementary level, using high-quality alloys could provide significant advantages, including effects comparable to spiritual seeds or innate talents.

Forging a magic tool for the Metal Element required extreme caution, as the stars merged into the tool. If it were destroyed, the entire element would be severely crippled.

"Metal alloys, huh? Looks like I'll have to ask a few of my university friends for help. They can probably pull some strings to access certain labs," Lu Mei mused, telling her brother to wait for news.

Then, with a smile, she added, "Welcome home, and congratulations on becoming a mage!"