Chapter 792: Witch Yekaterina’s Reminder and the Genesis Academic Conference

Points of light appeared across the Climbing Fern's surface. Locke swept his gaze over it and judged that multiple magical plant organs within it had reached their limits. The points of light appearing now seemed to indicate that the chloroplasts had produced some kind of anomalous reaction.

Before the tree fern Climbing Fern was about to collapse, Locke summoned his Grand Magic and activated the magical formation of the tenth-level magical field, reinforcing the material foundation of the present world surrounding this one acre of magical field.

This was a special magical formation called the Magical Tide Current Strengthening Technique, which could, by accelerating the speed of the magical tide's flow in a given area, indirectly strengthen that area's magical tide concentration gradient and thereby reinforce the strength of the present world in that region.

This way, the area could bear the weight of a Second Circle wizard's Grand Magic without the heavy pressure of the Grand Magic causing the present world in that area to collapse into the corresponding phase of the virtual sea.

In truth, in areas where the magical tide concentration gradient was insufficient, a single deployment of a Grand Magic would already exert a certain pressure on that portion of the present world.

The present world was like a building, and the virtual sea was the groundwater layer beneath the building's foundations.

When he had been in the southeastern quadrant, Locke had noticed that the battle between Hussein and Isaac had already slightly compressed portions of the southeastern quadrant's present world.

Of course, because the degree of compression was not pronounced enough, anyone below the Second Circle would have difficulty perceiving this directly with the naked eye.

It was only in conducting life sciences experiments that such potentially impactful matters could not be allowed to occur.

After all, if the degree of compression reached a level directly visible to the naked eye, that would indicate the compression had already become quite severe, with the entire present world at risk of sinking into the virtual sea, causing a phenomenon of spatial structural blurring.

It would be impossible for it to be limited to a local area.

The Magical Tide Current Strengthening Technique Formation was one that any reasonably complete advanced laboratory absolutely had to have.

Only after Locke had activated the strengthening formation did he dare to directly use his Grand Magic to evolve the Climbing Fern.

An hour and a half later, the Climbing Fern became a Second Circle magical plant.

Locke looked at the one acre of magical field within the glass dome of temporal gold crystal inside of which a Second Circle Climbing Fern was now living in approach graft symbiosis alongside the Golden Peach Tree. The originally gold-green Climbing Fern was now, astonishingly, a deep black-green.

The Climbing Fern's distinctive triangular pinnate fronds had transformed into hexagonal ones.

"Using the approach grafting method within the graft cultivation methods, combined with the Firetree Silver Blossom Curse to reconstruct the vascular connection between the two magical plants, did indeed achieve the sharing of virtual roots."

Locke reflected, "Setting aside for now that a way has not yet been found to keep the approach grafting method permanently in its first stage."

"That is not the current priority."

This could be optimized later. After all, the article itself had stated that the approach grafting method could be used normally for three years.

It was sufficient for current needs.

"The problem is that I have now discovered a new issue," Locke reflected. "Using the approach grafting method combined with the Firetree Silver Blossom Curse to achieve shared virtual roots results in an energy backflow, causing the magical plant joined by the approach graft to undergo botanical organ mutations."

"If the Moon of Evolution is used to evolve it, then this magical plant enters the Lunar Cultivation Method's state of plane information backflow."

"Some kind of evolution occurs."

"And so this Climbing Fern absorbed a portion of the Golden Peach Tree's plane information, producing a certain kind of mutation."

"This means that if I have a stable magical plant wizard shoe and apply the approach grafting method to share virtual roots with the Time Shadow Fern, and then evolve it using the Lunar Cultivation Method, there is a possibility that the plane information backflow could cause unstable magical plant traits."

Without yet having resolved the question of how to use approach grafting at a distance, Locke had already discovered another new problem.

He rubbed his forehead.

After all, mass-producing Second Circle magical plant wizard shoes was something that had never been done before.

Being difficult was certainly to be expected.

This was a legitimate piece of Second Circle magical plant research.

It was obvious that Solas Light Foot and Melechi Magic Step were also hoping he would remain stuck at this step for a very long time, and that he would confine himself to First Circle-level wizard shoes.

One could see that this direction was inherently extremely difficult, not something that he alone could complete in a short period of time.

Locke thought for a moment and said, "Actually this problem is not unsolvable. I can improve the Lunar Cultivation Method. Or more precisely, the Moon of Evolution itself should not be limited to a single cultivation method. The Lunar Cultivation Method should have its own subspecies."

This experiment had given Locke a deeper understanding of his own Grand Magic.

The previously complex Moon of Evolution began to grow more refined in this moment. The full moon behind him became increasingly clear and real.

Locke reflected, "The Moon of Evolution is a Grand Magic constructed on the foundations of evolutionary theory, ecology, botanical studies, and portions of alchemy and archaeology. Plant evolutionary theory is the first core."

"And so the best way to forge my Grand Magic is to excavate more applications of the Lunar Cultivation Method, and even more subspecies of cultivation methods, refining it constantly."

"I need a cultivation method that does not substantially alter the plant's fundamental traits but only enhances the plant's statistics."

"If I can master more modes of evolution, control more evolutionary patterns, and excavate more knowledge in the area of evolution, my Moon of Evolution will grow increasingly powerful, and at that point star-forging should become effortless."

Locke reflected. "If that is the case, the power system of my Moon of Evolution should be oriented toward evolutionary theory, closely tied to evolutionary levels."

There were several reasons why Locke had not immediately asked Witch Yekaterina about how to star-forge, or void-forge, a Grand Magic.

First, he had advanced so recently that there had been no opportunity to ask.

Second, Witch Yekaterina was very busy, and he could very well read documents to build his own accumulation first, without needing to ask immediately.

If he asked hastily, he would not even be able to understand the answer, and it would be better to study and research first, and then ask, so that he could actually understand it.

Third, his teacher had once said that the world of the Second Circle was a world where one was an expert in a specialized small sub-field and a direction.

The forging of a Grand Magic was extremely personal. Even the spell models of standard Grand Magics would have subtle differences depending on every wizard's temperament and talent.

Everyone was an expert in their own domain, and what others could help with could only be the icing on the cake.

Only one's own self could truly help oneself.

And this was also the reason why advancing became increasingly difficult once one reached the Second Circle.

Because there were no standard answers.

The apprentice stage could have standard answers, because at that time many things were problems designed by others, systems designed by others.

The First Circle stage, refined over ten thousand years of wizard civilization, was extremely polished, and so while there was no single standard answer, the best answer had already been found.

But the Second Circle stage was entirely different.

Locke knew that the forging of a Grand Magic was very diverse and complex, and was itself a very large research topic. It was currently one of the most active areas of research in the wizard world.

No one could definitively say what the best forging approach was.

There were many answers.

The answer Witch Yekaterina could give him might not be better than the answer he would arrive at through his own long-term research and effort.

This was the current path for Second Circle wizards.

The moonlight of the Moon of Evolution shone upon the Climbing Fern, and in an instant the Climbing Fern began to go through the Flowers Bloom and Fall cycle.

The Second Circle botanical spell, Flowers Bloom and Fall.

In an instant, the Climbing Fern reached its most exalted state. After a brief period of full bloom at its peak magic pressure, the entire Climbing Fern withered completely, turning to charcoal, while three spores with intricate patterns floated in midair.

The three spore particles were encased in triangular crystals, like three small suns floating in the air, radiating a brilliant gold-green light.

Those were the reproductive spores of the Second Circle Climbing Fern.

The reproductive method of fern-type magical plants was through spore bodies, vast in numbers at a single release, relying on quantity rather than quality. This method could still be achieved at the low apprentice magical plant stage, but at the First Circle magical plant stage it became impossible.

The energy level was insufficient.

And so for high-circle fern-type magical plants, most spores were either infertile or could only produce ring-level regression, for instance being able to reproduce only a cluster of low-level apprentice magical plants.

And the structure of a Second Circle magical plant's reproductive spores had also changed.

This was because there was a fundamental difference between spores and seeds. Spores relied on quantity to win, depending on water for reproduction, while seeds relied on quality to win, without depending on water.

Moreover, the higher the circle of the magical plant, the greater the reproductive advantage of seed-bearing magical plants.

Because seeds were themselves an excellent broad category of energy-locking structures.

And fern-type magical plants, in order to ensure that their next generation had the energy to reproduce at higher circle stages, could only evolve a corresponding energy-locking structure similar to seeds.

That was the spore crystal lattice.

However, Locke had not done much research in this area, knowing only of the existence of this energy-locking structure.

Locke opened his palm, and the reproductive Second Circle Climbing Fern spores encased in spore crystal lattices fell into his hand.

The spore crystal lattices appeared to indirectly absorb magical tides by drawing moisture from the air or the ground, thereby providing the spores with the energy needed to begin developing into gametophytes.

In essence it was an alternative type of seed.

Only it seemed that because fern-type plants had gone so far down the path of water-dependent reproduction, even the spore crystal lattice still needed to rely on a water source to concentrate the magical tide.

Locke held the three spore crystal lattices and reflected, "Using Flowers Bloom and Fall, by sacrificing one Second Circle Climbing Fern, I can obtain three Climbing Fern spore crystal lattices with a reasonably high probability of successful reproduction."

"The adult magical plants incubated from these three spore crystal lattices are not of much value to me in practical terms. They probably only have research value. After all, they are just wild magical plants, and I have also noticed that because of absorbing the Golden Peach Tree's plant essence information backflow, a conflict of magical plant traits has occurred."

"But I must still cultivate them into adult magical plants and use the three Grand Magic mirrors to observe their condition, in order to determine the impact of this approach grafting method on the magical plants."

Locke rubbed his forehead with some distress. "These things can only be done by me."

"But actually, I have already obtained a greater advantage than ordinary breeders. Without the Moon of Evolution to accelerate the magical plant's evolution, to go through one round of Second Circle magical plant evolution would take at least one or two months at the fastest."

High-circle botanical studies and high-circle summoning school both had this problem: the time cycle for cultivating magical plants and magical creatures was extraordinarily long and virtually impossible to compress.

The entire experimental cycle would therefore be very long.

This meant that even wizards who wanted to spend large amounts of money to accelerate progress sometimes simply could not.

The Moon of Evolution, by being able to shorten plant evolution time, could be said to be the best Grand Magic a breeder could have.

"This will not do. If I run experiments this way, whether my ten million magic stones can last even a month is uncertain."

Locke reflected, "While I can borrow consumables from my teacher's resources, going too far would be difficult to justify."

"And if someone notices, it could also cause problems."

"Right. Let me first use the synthesis magic cube to synthesize these. Synthesize the three seeds. The seeds that result from synthesis should have entries appear. This way I can learn the magical plant traits of the experimentally approach-grafted magical plants without having to cultivate them. I can see what impact the approach grafting method has on their traits."

Locke immediately placed the three magical plant seeds into his astral ring, channeled his magical force, and put the three seeds into the synthesis magic cube, selecting them for synthesis.

This would save on experimental costs and reduce the time he needed to spend on experiments.

Going forward, he could conduct approach grafting experiments while simultaneously reading documents and searching for solutions.

At the same time, just as Locke was about to put away his Golden Peach Tree and notify the first-class wizard apprentices of this level to come clean up the experimental space, Witch Yekaterina suddenly sent a voice connection request.

Locke immediately chose to accept.

Witch Yekaterina's voice came through the Ganoderma magical plant. "Locke, have you finished the test ring task I assigned you?"

Locke paused, because less than two months had passed since she had given him the task.

Locke coughed once.

"No, teacher."

"I have been rather overwhelmed with things lately."

Witch Yekaterina said, "Hmm. Then you need to pick up the pace. There is no need to finish one project before starting the next. You can work on several projects simultaneously. One project for its application, one project in the experimental phase, one project where you have people helping you organize data, and one where you are writing articles."

"In short, use your own judgment on these things."

"I have a new task to give you. Has your avatar returned to the southeastern quadrant?"

"I need you to take a look at the Forbidden Forest over there. I have received word that Anna reached an agreement with the Pale Grand Sovereign three months ago. They have a special mission in the Forbidden Forest, and I would like you to confirm for me exactly what they are doing there."

Locke blinked. Was that not a stroke of luck?

Locke said, "Teacher. Regarding that matter, I believe my timing has been fortunate. I have already found out what they were doing beforehand. They went to the Forbidden Forest to harvest Dragon Saliva Sky Line."

There was a noticeable pause on Witch Yekaterina's end, then almost immediately she understood that Locke had already encountered the Pale Pilgrimage's black wizards in the southeastern quadrant.

"Well done, Locke."

"Dragon Saliva Sky Line... the Dragon Soul Potion... hmm, so it is aimed at me. Anna must have guessed at the situation on my end. She truly is cunning."

"Did they manage to harvest the Dragon Saliva Sky Line?"

Locke said, "Teacher, I am sorry. Before I discovered this matter, a star ring wizard from the Pale Pilgrimage had already taken the Dragon Saliva Sky Line. I was unable to stop it in time."

"Had I discovered it earlier, I would have found a way to intercept it."

Witch Yekaterina said, "Black wizards are deceitful, and the Pale Pilgrimage's black wizards are especially seasoned. Your own safety must come first. A star ring wizard is not an opponent you can yet match."

"Star ring wizards have their own power system within their Grand Magic framework. Their Grand Magic is at a more refined level than yours, and their energy dissipation rate is one tier lower than yours. It is still too early for you to make enemies of them."

Witch Yekaterina said to Locke, "Locke, you have done very well this time. You are reliable."

"You completed this task even before I gave you the assignment."

Having come this far in the conversation, Locke took the opportunity to ask further. "Teacher, what is the essential nature of the power system beneath a Grand Magic?"

Locke had not asked for specific methods, but for the essential nature of the power system beneath a Grand Magic.

This was something a high-circle wizard could tell him.

Because their comprehension was higher, and what he was asking was a question about comprehension.

Witch Yekaterina said approvingly, "You are the Silent Chalice's champion, and Alex is the Three Kings Tournament's champion."

"The two of you became Second Circle wizards at almost the same time. Alex has recently begun anxiously asking me how to go about star-forging, while you have not asked me for methods, only for the essential nature. So your rate of progress should be ahead of Alex's."

"My understanding of the power system beneath a Grand Magic is that it is a system of hierarchy."

Witch Yekaterina said, "Very well. You can go and think on that a little more."

"Locke, remember to complete the two tasks I gave you as quickly as possible."

"Time waits for no one. The faster you go, the better."

Locke managed a wry smile. In truth he had already been moving very quickly. After all, he had been researching documents and searching for ideas the entire time, and had only just barely arrived at a breakthrough line of thinking for the Second Circle magical plant wizard shoe.

As for the testing of the test ring, he had not had time to get around to it.

But it was clear that the world of the Second Circle was an increasingly busy one.

Witch Yekaterina said, "Also, I will be leaving the Cloud Marsh Wetlands for a period. During this time, if you have any questions, you can ask Trajan."

"Trajan is an excellent plant hunter. If there is anything you do not understand, ask him more often. I have already told him to look after you."

Locke sensed that Witch Yekaterina was not simply traveling to some ordinary wizard territory. Otherwise there would be no need to mention it to him in advance.

Locke asked, "Teacher, where are you going?"

Having asked it, Locke felt the question was somewhat abrupt. After all, where a Throne wizard was going had nothing to do with him.

But Witch Yekaterina showed no displeasure and said, "I am going to the Southern Border Region's Southern Wizard Capital to attend the Genesis Conference."

"It is a conference that only Third Circle wizards can attend, so I cannot bring you along. And you are all very busy as well. I will take some of your senior brothers and sisters, along with some of my colleagues at Golden Crown Mountain."

"The Genesis Conference is a major gathering of the wizard world."

"It is of very long duration, and the resources and time needed to travel between border regions are considerable, so I estimate I will be unable to return to Golden Crown Mountain within the next three years."

Witch Yekaterina said, "Of course, I have avatars in some of my projects at Golden Crown Mountain. So you need not worry on that account. I can still contact you."

"Only with most of my energy at the Genesis Conference, and a portion going toward my projects, and whatever remains being devoted to presiding over the academic committee's day-to-day affairs, you will need to do more relying on yourself to settle and accumulate over the next two years. That is what the coming period requires."

Locke said to Witch Yekaterina, "Teacher, as a Second Circle wizard, I was always meant to forge my own path through challenges and adversity, advancing along the road of pursuing truth by my own strength."

"Please do not worry."

"I will complete the magical wedding ring testing work as soon as possible."

Witch Yekaterina said, "That puts my mind at ease. Locke, once I and Anna have both attended the Genesis Conference, it means that the conflict between our two academic lineages, which has been kept in a state of uneasy peace only through our mutual restraint, will almost certainly escalate in an uncontrollable way."

"Take care of yourself. If anything comes up, you can look for Trajan to help resolve it. Of course, I trust in your abilities."

Yekaterina ended the voice connection.

Locke reflected, "I did not expect that both my teacher and the Rose Throne would be attending the Genesis Conference. That should be a very high-level academic conference in the wizard world. I wonder when I will ever have the chance to attend. But with things as they are, it is like the mountain having no tiger, leaving the monkey to call itself king."

"The two Throne wizards are effectively going into seclusion. With matters out of their hands, they are taking away a large number of Third Circle wizards from both academic lineages."

"Those Third Circle wizards, even if they leave avatars at Golden Crown Mountain, will likely have to concentrate their energy on maintaining their projects."

"In that case, who is left to manage things between the two academic lineages but the sun ring wizards?"

Locke's expression became odd.

Because he had previously learned a concept: when the Third Circle wizards of the two academic lineages came into open conflict, it would trigger some kind of change in the Ladder, seemingly forcing a full-scale war to begin.

Though he did not understand this area well, he at least knew that the restrictions on Third Circle wizards were very severe, and so Third Circle wizards were the most restrained of all.

And now the Third Circle wizards of both major academic lineages who were managing things were all going to attend the Genesis academic conference.

Good grief. That meant the sun ring wizards would now have free rein.

Locke shook his head slightly. Never mind, this did not have a great deal to do with him personally. He should think about how to reduce virtual root costs.

If by the time Witch Yekaterina returned from the Genesis Conference he still had not completed this research, that truly would be an enormous embarrassment.

Locke reflected, "But conversely, this is also an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. Both Solas Light Foot and Melechi Magic Step have a Third Circle wizard behind them."

"I had originally been concerned they might make a move."

"Or that their students might make a move. But now... they have most likely already gone to the Genesis Conference."

"These three years are my opportunity."