Chapter 845: Why Did You Walk the Path of a Wizard? And the Wizard Night Gathering

In the evening, Locke left the underground floor ten of Research Group Two's laboratory.

With the framework now established, as long as resources, talent, and money were poured in, sooner or later the first and second steps of the finite element cultivation method's sword tomb would be completed.

What followed was simply a matter of time. As long as the first two steps were completed, the atavistic evolution experiment could begin immediately.

But exactly when the work could be completed, Locke could not say with certainty.

It depended on how much he continued to invest in resources, and there were also elements of luck involved at times. Regardless, based on the framework he had designed, results were expected within three months to half a year, after which the final third step could begin.

Locke was preparing to head to the Witch's Kitchen to celebrate that evening with Witch Mason and the others. He turned and saw Douglas standing on underground floor ten with a look of hesitation, unwilling to leave.

Locke turned to face Douglas and said, "Working this hard? The paper you helped me write before was quite well done. Help me write one more, a comprehensive review on the development of purely magical plant Second Circle wizard shoes. Think about a draft first, and I will give you the outline and experimental data tomorrow."

Douglas was on the verge of tears.

It was not that he loved working this much. He had enjoyed a peaceful month following Locke around, only for Wizard Brandy to, after that same month of quiet, begin occasionally entering the Dune Plane to try to find him.

So he now did not dare leave underground floor ten of Research Group Two's laboratory, because Wizard Cis had designated floor ten as Locke's territory within Group Two.

Hiding here at least gave Wizard Brandy some reason for hesitation.

Wizard King Laghemaon also felt helpless about this situation and said in Douglas's consciousness sea: 'That young fellow Brandy is truly too persistent.'

'But you have Locke Augustine's protection, so just keep working for him. In your era, it is only by working hard that one earns protection, is it not?'

'I want to see what this young fellow's magical plant cultivation ultimately produces. In my era, there were also some breeders as accomplished as he is. It was just a pity that breeding studies back then was far inferior to what it is now.'

Wizard Douglas always felt something was not quite right.

'Teacher, I am your student. Why do I get the feeling that you are not thinking from the perspective of my best interests?'

'Right now I am in the laboratory practically twenty-four hours out of every twenty-four hours.'

Wizard King Laghemaon chuckled in his consciousness sea: 'Is that so? Well, what choice do you have? The moment you step out and leave the laboratory, Wizard Brandy will be watching you.'

Wizard Douglas closed the laboratory door and sighed.

"That is true enough. Then I have no choice but to work hard. At least Great Wizard Locke treats me decently."

...

Underground floor one of Group Two's research institute. Wizard Brandy's expression was sour. He swept a glance at the magical mechanical clock tower in the ground floor laboratory reception hall and checked the time.

"What is going on? Is he living in the laboratory now?"

"This fellow was always slacking off and looking for chances to slip out when he was at my place. And now that he is over at Augustine's, he is suddenly this diligent. In the laboratory all day and all night."

Wizard Brandy actually felt a twinge of envy.

Could it be that Locke was better at managing people than he was?

"Who would have thought he was even better at squeezing people than I am."

Wizard Brandy thought: "Staying inside will not help you. If you will not leave the laboratory, I will just go to your laboratory myself."

Wizard Brandy prepared to check in with Group Two's staff and then take the lift down to underground floor ten.

But the vaporization stage wizard staff member looked up, gave him a bow, and said, "I am sorry, Wizard Brandy. Underground floor ten of Group Two's laboratory has been closed to outside visitors for the past twenty days."

Wizard Brandy looked completely baffled, then his expression darkened. "How can it be closed to outside visitors? How can a public research institute simply close itself off like that?"

The vaporization stage wizard staff member bowed immediately. After all, he was only a temporary worker at Golden Crown Mountain.

"Great Wizard Brandy. Here is the thing. This was a direct order from Team Leader Cis, the sun ring wizard."

"The main reason is that underground floor ten is currently Wizard Locke's sword tomb, so to prevent unnecessary disturbances, outside visitors are currently prohibited from entering."

Wizard Brandy immediately realized he was one of those unnecessary visitors.

His mind raced at once.

'He has such a good relationship with the team leader here? Well enough that the team leader set aside an entire floor in the research institute to open a separate private laboratory for him? On what grounds?'

Wizard Brandy thought through many possibilities at once.

It was either powerful connections, or deep mutual interests with Wizard Cis. The latter was far more likely, since Locke Augustine was a wizard from outside the region.

He should have no real connections in the Cloud Marsh Wetlands.

Wizard Brandy's expression was not a pleasant one. Being turned away repeatedly was making him irritated, to the point where he was tempted to simply force his way into underground floor ten.

After all, even if he did that, the vaporization stage wizard in front of him had no power to stop him.

Any order without strength backing it was nothing more than empty words.

He could force his way in, take Douglas away, and then go apologize to Wizard Cis and even Locke Augustine afterward, come up with a reason that could be explained away, and leave it at that.

If it only happened once or twice, as long as nothing serious occurred, there should not be any grave consequences.

But Wizard Brandy hesitated, because he suspected that the encounter of fortune on Douglas might not necessarily be one left behind by a sun ring wizard.

It could be something left by a moon ring, or even a star ring wizard, or it might even be the encounter of fortune left by a relatively special ordinary Second Circle wizard.

An encounter of fortune at that level was absolutely not worth taking such a large risk.

Doing this sort of thing too often would damage his reputation.

He could not be as foolish as that Zhuoma, getting himself disliked by everyone.

So everything needed to be carefully weighed.

Wizard Brandy started to deliberate, and was also inwardly somewhat curious about what kind of sword tomb this rising star Locke Augustine could produce.

'Ordinarily, Second Circle wizards cultivating Second Circle magical plants use the Spirit Breath cultivation method. He is using the finite element cultivation method rather than the Spirit Breath cultivation method, which suggests he has not yet become a true Second Circle breeder. Within the senior Origin Academy, only Zeno has passed the Second Circle breeder certification examination.'

'But both Zhuoma and I have barely managed to learn the Spirit Breath breeding method, just not to the level required to pass the examination.'

Wizard Brandy thought: 'What is he cultivating with the sword tomb?'

He felt a vibration from his Ganoderma magical plant and checked it, finding a message from a friend saying that Golden Crown Mountain's Origin Academy had a Second Circle wizard who had recently published in a Second Circle Tier 1 journal.

Wizard Brandy immediately asked who it was.

Many names came to mind, and he thought the most likely candidate was Zeno.

After all, within the senior Origin Academy, only Zeno had passed and held the Second Circle breeder certification badge.

His friend replied quickly.

"It is Locke Augustine. Seems he joined the Origin Academy last year. Truly talented for his age. Brandy, should we find an opportunity to take him out for a meal at the Witch's Kitchen and make his acquaintance?"

Wizard Brandy felt as though he had been struck by lightning.

He did not even spare a glance at the vaporization stage temporary worker at Research Group Two's institute. He turned and left the institute immediately, boarded a flyer, and headed off toward the public plane gate of the Dune Plane.

On the small flyer, Brandy's expression was one of utter disbelief.

"Him? That him?"

"He has only just become a Second Circle wizard, and he is not even a Second Circle breeder, and does not know the Spirit Breath cultivation method, yet in his very first year as a Second Circle wizard, he published a Tier 1 paper in a Second Circle journal?"

For an instant, Wizard Brandy felt there had to be something shady going on behind the scenes.

But quickly, Wizard Brandy dismissed the idea.

Because Locke was a wizard from outside the region with a simple background. And this was a Tier 1 paper in a Second Circle journal. What kind of connections would one need to pull strings at that level of journal?

If Locke had those connections and that much influence, there would be no point competing with Locke next year. He might as well immediately go and flatter him and attach himself to his coattails.

Wizard Brandy asked his friend: 'Which journal?'

His friend replied via the water hyacinth system: 'Myriad Phenomena Crossroads. Submitted to the breeding studies section of Myriad Phenomena Crossroads.'

Wizard Brandy paused and thought it over carefully, since Myriad Phenomena Crossroads was not within the range of journals that mainstream Cloud Marsh Wetlands breeders typically submitted to.

But after careful thought, he realized Myriad Phenomena Crossroads was a mid-level Second Circle journal.

Which meant this was not even a borderline Tier 1 Second Circle journal.

It was a legitimate, well-established, long-running Tier 1 Second Circle journal.

Wizard Brandy was stunned.

"Damn it, how was this done? He does not even know the Spirit Breath cultivation method. This is not fair."

"An ordinary Second Circle wizard who has only just become a Second Circle wizard, without knowing the Spirit Breath cultivation method, how could he immediately publish a Tier 1 paper?"

In an instant, a sense of crisis rose in Wizard Brandy's heart, along with a deep wariness of Locke.

Before this, he had been planning to force his way in and take Douglas by force. But upon hearing that Locke had published a Second Circle journal paper, he felt as though his very bloodline had been suppressed.

Like a mouse encountering a cat.

At that moment, whenever the image of Locke came to mind, his mind went blank, leaving nothing but the fact that Locke had published a Second Circle Tier 1 paper.

He published a Second Circle Tier 1 paper...

All his courage vanished in an instant.

Wizard Brandy gripped the controls of his flyer, gritting his teeth. "That damned Douglas, using Locke's name as cover to hide from me."

Wizard Brandy let out a sigh.

"Well, he cannot spend his whole life in the laboratory. The magic pressure radiation inside the laboratory is so severe. Moreover, that is a sword tomb. Even a crystallization wizard cannot stay in it for long periods. He will come out eventually."

"I will just wait patiently."

"After all, this is a person who has published in a Second Circle Tier 1 journal. I cannot afford to provoke him. I cannot afford to provoke him at all. It seems he will be a formidable rival next year."

Wizard Brandy thought: "Among the people currently in the senior Origin Academy, those who have published in a Second Circle Tier 1 journal are Zeno, and that Antoine of the other faction. Zhuoma and I have not even published in a Second Circle Tier 2 journal."

"Antoine must have used connections, and Zeno is our biggest threat."

He had originally added all the Second Circle wizards of the Origin Academy to a group for the purpose of gathering information on these rivals, and also because there was a collective understanding among them to band together against the strongest, Zeno.

Of course, this banding together was not about forming cliques, which would be a petty and pointless thing to do.

Rather, it involved initiating trades within the group, engaging in a degree of resource sharing and information sharing. Zeno, who was arrogant about his talents, had joined the group but had never engaged much in the group's exchanges.

So it was actually a group that could help rebalance the situation.

But now, Wizard Brandy felt a chill.

Because a second Second Circle wizard in the Origin Academy had published in a Second Circle Tier 1 journal.

Wizard Brandy looked at the group and sure enough saw that Wizard Jorn Quis had announced this news in the group.

Jorn Quis sent a smiling expression.

'Everyone, look. A second senior researcher in our Golden Crown Mountain Origin Academy has published a Second Circle Tier 1 journal paper.'

'I am absolutely basking in the collective glory.'

Wizard Zhuoma sent an expression of amazement, followed by a single line.

'Unbelievable. Publishing a Second Circle Tier 1 journal paper in the very first year of becoming a Second Circle wizard. How are the rest of us supposed to live?'

Two other wizards also sent shocked expressions, then posted some messages that seemed to reflect on the meaning of existence.

'This is way too impressive. The people coming into our Origin Academy are getting more and more extraordinary every year.'

'Well, we just have to keep pushing. I just hope next year I can produce a solid project and secure the special-grade grant directly. Otherwise we wait another two or three years. By the time those people's skills mature and they have enough experimental data to apply for the special-grade grant, what place will any of us have?'

Then, rarely, Zeno's message appeared in the group.

'I have a habit of subscribing to Myriad Phenomena Crossroads. I read that paper. The concept is very clever, but the reason it could reach a journal of Myriad Phenomena Crossroads's caliber is that it took a certain shortcut. Of course, it is still very impressive.'

'Only someone with sufficient strength can find a shortcut like that.'

The group fell silent for a while.

Then the two ordinary Second Circle wizards immediately sent messages. 'Rare to see you, Zeno, the teacher's favorite, come out of hiding. It seems even you were taken aback by this news.'

'Ha ha ha. Even a great genius feels pressure.'

'For next year's special-grade grant application, we will not be giving up.'

Wizard Brandy seized the moment and sent a message: "I suggest we organize another wizard night gathering within the group. We can share the resources and information we have, discuss intelligence about the special-grade grant, and exchange tips on how past applicants got through. What do you all think?"

"Zeno, will you come?"

Zeno did not respond.

But the two other wizards in the group both sent messages.

"Sure, I am in. Honestly, I am a bit nervous right now. I really do need to exchange ideas with colleagues."

"Yes, I am in too."

Wizard Zhuoma sent a message.

"Then I am in too."

Wizard Jorn Quis said, "I will definitely be there. Should someone invite Wizard Augustine along? And Wizard Antoine. Has he not recently said he is planning to apply for the special-grade grant next year too? The more people, the more information."

This was music to Wizard Brandy's ears.

Wizard Brandy said, "I can try to reach out to Wizard Antoine."

Using this wizard night gathering, he could treat it as his own resource, then use it to draw Antoine in and try to build a relationship with a wizard of Antoine's standing, one who had resources and backing.

Wizard Zhuoma sent a message. "Then I will reach out to Wizard Locke."

On the other end of the water hyacinth system, Wizard Zhuoma had been privately longing for Locke's wizard shoes. He had purchased the Great Blood Wave Bromeliad wizard shoes, and they were indeed quite good, excellent value for the price.

Wizard Zhuoma thought: "I can use this opportunity to bring Locke into our group."

"And get a little closer to him. Three birds with one stone."

...

At the same time, Locke in the Witch's Kitchen received a congratulatory message from his sun ring senior martial brother.

He appeared to have sent the message using his main body in the Dark Great World, which was a testament to how extraordinarily powerful the communication system formed by the water hyacinths floating on the cloud lake was, managing to send messages across a great world.

His sun ring senior martial brother congratulated him: 'Congratulations, congratulations, junior martial brother, you have published your first Second Circle journal paper. I heard from a friend. At your age, I had no such academic achievement.'

Locke checked the water hyacinth system and found congratulatory messages from Wizard Kelt, Team Leader Cis, his senior martial brothers and sisters, and his friends.

Locke replied to each of them one by one, thanking them for their congratulations.

Witch Preston sent him a message. After congratulating him, she said:

'Little brother Locke, now you can take it easy for a while. After all, you have just published a Tier 1 paper.'

'Time for yourself to take a break. By the way, I just recently became a Second Circle wizard and am considering whether to organize a planar exploration team for a plane exploration.'

Locke paused. Not only had he not stopped to rest, it seemed he had immediately plunged into preparations for the Golden Cup.

And lately he had also been thinking about how to develop the second pair of Second Circle wizard shoes.

Locke replied to Witch Preston: 'Keep it up, Witch Preston.'

At that moment, Locke looked up and saw Witch Mason, Witch Freya, and Wizard Barrett raising their glasses toward him and saying, "Congratulations, Team Leader."

Locke gave a slight nod, clinked his glass with theirs, and drank it down in one go.

After Witch Freya finished the wizard spirits, a rosy flush spread across her delicate cheeks.

"Peach Blossom Intoxication really is too easy to get drunk on. This time it is the three of us treating you. Team Leader, we have been working with you for a year in the blink of an eye. You truly are a good leader. Following you, the three of us have achieved more than we had in the previous three years combined."

Witch Mason nodded.

"Before, just getting a Tier 2 project grant was what we hoped for and considered ourselves lucky to receive. But following Team Leader, we now have a way to complete even a Tier 1 project grant."

Wizard Barrett said, "So this meal should be on us, to treat Team Leader."

"We know our own abilities. It is by following a great tree like you that we have been able to grow to this point. Meeting you has been our luck."

Locke looked at them with some surprise.

"Is it not my luck to have colleagues who are both responsible and driven? I am glad to have met all of you this past year."

Locke raised his glass and drank down the wizard spirits that could intoxicate even a crystallization wizard in one go again.

He noticed that even without his Grand Magic, drinking it had actually given him a slight hint of intoxication.

This Peach Blossom Intoxication at five thousand per pot was truly living up to its reputation.

Locke said, "Now we have a new starting point. In the new year, you will all conclude your Tier 1 grant projects, and I will secure the special-grade grant."

The four exchanged glances, then all became immersed in the warmth of the moment and began competing for that one pot of Peach Blossom Intoxication on the table.

Before long, Barrett and Witch Freya were drunk and unable to hold any more.

Witch Mason was in a half-drunk state. She propped her chin up with her hand and looked at Locke. "Team Leader, I have had a question I have wanted to ask you for a long time."

Locke showed no sign of intoxication at all. He sat ramrod straight at the table and poured himself a cup of the complimentary wizard tea. "Go ahead, though I may not necessarily answer."

Witch Mason said, "Team Leader, why exactly did you become a wizard? Wizard Barrett became one because he wanted to obtain powerful strength. Witch Freya wanted an ageless appearance. And I wanted to become a more perfect person."

"Like Teacher Yekaterina, who is such a perfect person."

"So what about you, Team Leader?"

Locke thought for a moment. The question was not hard to answer.

"Interest, I suppose."

Witch Mason was taken aback by this answer.

"Interest? Can there really be people who become wizards because of interest? That sounds as fantastical as doing something for an ideal. But if it is you, Team Leader, there must be very good reasons behind it."

"After all, you and we are wizards of a different caliber."

Witch Mason suddenly succumbed to the alcohol, slumped forward onto the table, and fell straight asleep.

Locke watched as his three friends in this wizard world collapsed before him in a drunken stupor. He shook his head slightly. He could use the Reverse Refinement Method to sober them up immediately, but if he did, would the five-thousand-per-pot Peach Blossom Intoxication they had just drunk not simply have passed through them and been wasted?

So Locke did not sober them up.

"Never forget the original intention..."

Locke sat ramrod straight at his table and poured tea for himself.

"Only by never forgetting the original intention can one see things through from beginning to end."

"How many people, on the path of pursuing truth, have transformed themselves in ways that caused them to forget why they walked this path in the first place."

Locke looked at the water hyacinth system. Someone was reaching out to him. He looked carefully and furrowed his brow.

Southern Wizard Capital, Southern Gold?

He should have no connection with them.

Wait. Did the Southern Wizard Capital also have golden magic research?