Wizard: Starting With Synthesized Gems - Chapter 531

Chapter 528 Two Different Evolutionary Paths

The Celtic wizard took Locke to a file area in the laboratory, where the tables were filled with specially marked documents.

The Celtic wizard said, “This data was compiled by our six groups of researchers and research assistants over a period of hundreds of years. We probably have the largest collection of research data on the relationship between the key natural magical components of magical plants and the reproductive capacity of magical creatures in the Yunze Wetland.”

“Each packaged document here corresponds to the research and analysis of a magical plant’s ability to reproduce magical creatures.”

The Celtic wizard said confidently, “I dare say you’ve completely underestimated the impact of plants on biological reproduction. But there are traces of this all being traceable.”

The Celtic wizard said, “In the long process of natural evolution, plants and animals have chosen two completely different evolutionary paths—staying still and migrating everywhere.”

“Let’s not discuss the two evolutionary paths, or which is right or wrong, or which is superior or inferior. That’s the research direction of other research groups. The key point is that plants and animals have learned to help each other and compensate for each other’s shortcomings during the evolution process.”

Although the Celtic wizard had many complaints about Locke, because Wizard Ekaterina had chosen him to join the project team, in order to avoid being criticized for any mistakes, he had no choice but to follow the procedures and introduce to Locke the research fields of their six groups, and help the new researchers to quickly get started with the work flow.

Otherwise, given the witch Catherine’s character, he would definitely be in trouble.

Even if they tried their best, they might not be able to satisfy the six witches in the large research group of Ekaterina, let alone make trouble.

This is something that is absolutely impossible to happen.

The Celtic wizard was simply dissatisfied with the fact that Locke was only a wizard in the first liquefaction stage.

The Celtic wizard continued, “It’s a simple common sense. The higher the magic level of a magical creature, the weaker its reproductive ability.”

“Then, logically speaking, a first-ring magical creature should have absolutely no chance of reproducing naturally in a natural environment.”

The Celtic wizard said, “But that’s not the case. First-ring magical creatures have taken advantage of the First-ring magical plants and formed a symbiotic relationship with some of the magical plants in the natural environment, thus gaining the possibility of increasing their reproductive capacity.”

“This is a beautiful story of co-evolution between nature and plants. The reason plants are so benevolent to magical creatures is simple: because plants cannot move, they rely on magical creatures to carry their seeds and pollen to various locations. They also need magical creatures to bring them special resources not available locally from far away. Therefore, many magical plants in nature produce fruits that, when consumed, have immense benefits for living organisms, attracting magical creatures to them.”

“It’s a little trick the plants play.”

Locke immediately thought of the twelve special kinds of peaches on Golden Crown Mountain and the mouth-watering Water Jade Peach.

Obviously, the water jade peach was cultivated by utilizing the coexistence mechanism of plants and animals in nature. It has a special effect that even rare magic potions cannot achieve, and it has almost no side effects.

This is basically an active temptation for some creatures in nature to swallow that kind of fruit.

The Celtic wizard said, “Our six groups will be responsible for finding out which magical plants form special symbiotic relationships with specific biological species.”

“First, we’ll select a likely species, then begin verifying whether the magical plant enhances or weakens the fertility of a particular magical creature, and then identify one or more key natural magical components. Over the past century, countless researchers at the Institute of True Knowledge have completed funding projects based on discovering the effect of a magical plant on the fertility of a specific species.”

“And successfully obtained the exit credentials.”

The Celtic wizard pointed at the pile of tables, pointing to the documents on a specific table and said, “That pile of documents contains information about magical plants that may affect the reproduction of specific magical species, discovered by the first-class wizard apprentices of Golden Crown Mountain in the Yunze Wetlands and the various colonized planes of the Yunze Wetlands.”

“Of course, with the limited abilities of those apprentices, they have only made some preliminary observations, which are full of fallacies and erroneous observations. Therefore, the real research is to be completed by us, the official wizards.”

The Celtic wizard said, “If you want to write a project application for a fund, you need to conduct preliminary experiments and use the experimental results to prove that a certain magical plant is indeed related to the reproductive capacity of a specific species.”

“And, it’s best to roughly determine this component, so that your project application will be approved.”

“Your current job is to gather inspiration from these apprentices’ experimental reports, find the truly useful parts, identify a specific magical plant-magical creature correspondence, and use the natural magic component comparison device and your own analytical skills to determine which natural magic component plays a key role.”

“Or multiple.”

The Celtic wizard muttered to himself. “Most of the discoveries are actually about the natural magical components that have been thoroughly studied. After all, this experiment has been going on for a hundred years, and every year there have been a large number of new researchers joining our project.”

“If you have a keen eye, perhaps you can discover new uses for the components of natural magic power. That would be even better.”

The Celtic wizard said, “Of course, if you’re luckier and discover a new natural magical component…”

“Forget it, there’s no need to talk about it.” The Celtic wizard shook his head slightly and said, “If you can really discover something like this, don’t even think about using a small Zhenzhi Academy fund. You can directly publish a first-tier journal.”

“But this is really a test of your luck and vision.”

“You’d better keep your feet on the ground.”

The Celtic wizard threw Locke an instruction manual for the [Natural Magic Structure Component Comparison Device].

Locke flipped through it and found that it was an extra-large device.

The main function is that a formal wizard can manipulate this super expensive and super-large breeding equipment to use the magic magnetic field to cut off a magic plant and extract all the components in the mixed liquid.

These components are then placed in a large column-type elemental separation device.

Because the natural magic structure components are composed of composite element particles, their natural density, weight, etc. are different. Therefore, they can be separated one by one according to their different properties through columnar element separation equipment, and recorded. Then, they can be compared one by one with the natural magic structure component data in the database to see which data matches. In this way, we can find out which natural magic structure components are roughly contained in this magic plant.

Overall, this set of equipment, worth more than ten million, is something that ordinary wizards cannot afford.

The main function is to analyze the quantity and types of natural magic structural components in the magic plant.

At the same time, the Celtic wizard also gave Locke the instruction manual of another device, the Ice Magic Mirror.

This is a more advanced large breeder equipment.

The minimum price is 30 million magic stones.

By using the matching revealing potion and placing it on a slice of the magic plant, one can observe carefully and obtain the approximate structure of the natural magic structure components that a wizard wants.

These two devices alone are things that Locke would never be able to access in the Six Towers.

Locke walked along the way and took a quick look inside this public laboratory, where he could see a large number of advanced breeding experimental equipment.

These are things that ordinary wizards from the outside world cannot touch even if they want to.

It’s not just a matter of money, but also issues such as purchasing channels, maintenance channels, repair costs, consumables costs, etc.

That is something that the breeder laboratories in other wizarding lands truly cannot afford.

The Celtic wizard looked at Locke and said, “You don’t need to queue up to use the structural comparison machine. We have five such devices in our laboratory.”

“Any of you who want to use it can use it directly.”

“Just limit your usage to two times a day, and never use it consecutively unless no one else wants to share the device with you that day.”

“As for the Ice Mirror, it’s a high-level breeder’s device. Wizards from other groups also need it, so there are a lot of people lining up.”

A flicker of displeasure flashed in the Celtic wizard’s eyes. “Ordinary researchers at the Academy of True Knowledge need to apply to me to use this advanced breeder equipment, and the Apparition Potion is also very expensive.”

“Basically, if you can use it once a month, you’re lucky.”

“But you are a researcher at the Academy of Advanced True Knowledge, so according to the agreement in your contract, you have priority use of the Ice Mirror device. You can use it once a week, and you can use the Apparition Potion once for free.”

The Celtic wizard glanced at Locke. “I hope you are worthy of this treatment.”

Locke simply ignored this sentence. Although he could see that the Celtic wizard seemed to have a lot of opinions about him, the problem was that this laboratory was not his, but belonged to his mentor, the witch Ekaterina.

Then it doesn’t matter.

Anyway, no matter how unhappy the Celtic wizard was, he still had to arrange work for himself because it was arranged by the witch Catherine.

Moreover, the wizard’s only moat is whether he can produce results.

As long as he could produce good results, the Celtic wizard’s current opinion of him would naturally disappear.

In Locke’s opinion, the Celtic wizard really cared about the fact that the person who should have been assigned to be a senior researcher at the Academy of True Knowledge in Group 6 turned out to be a wizard from the outside world who was in the first-ring liquefaction stage, like himself.

That’s why he cares so much.

The Celtic wizard handed Locke a separate document and said, “Our six groups have recently been studying the symbiotic relationship between ant-like magical creatures and madder-like magical plants. Eleven ordinary researchers from the Academy of True Knowledge are also studying the relationship between an ant-like magical creature and a madder-like magical plant. They are all involved in this project.”

“If you join us, the difficulty will be much lower. Moreover, the data generated by these projects can be shared, learned from each other, and accumulated, which is of great significance to our six groups.”

“So, please read these materials first.” The Celtic wizard said, “I have selected two research directions that are very suitable for you.”

“One is a project by a newly graduated researcher from the Institute of True Knowledge. He’s discovered that Robusta grass can secrete a mating pheromone similar to that of the Camponotus ants, tricking them into completing their reproductive cycle quickly.”

“But near Robusta grass, the steel car ants not only have an increased number of matings, but also a significantly enhanced fertility. So Robusta grass still has potential to be tapped.”

“So you could definitely study the relationship between Robusta grass and the steel-carving ant.”

The Celtic wizard said, “The second project is the trump card project of our six groups. Brora grass can help the eleven ant-like magical creatures discovered so far to reproduce.”

“If you work on this project, it would be easy to apply for funding. You just need to discover a new ant species whose reproductive capacity is enhanced by Brora grass and analyze the mechanism of action. You can complete the project within six months.”

The Celtic wizard talked incessantly, saying that he had arranged everything for Locke.

Even the project directions that can be chosen are limited to two, and both are related to ants and madder-like magical plants.

Obviously, the Celtic wizard would rather Locke, as a member of Group Six, sacrifice some of his own interests to safeguard the greater interests of Group Six.

After all, a group of researchers leave every five years, but he, as the team leader, has to stay in these six groups forever.

Therefore, the Celtic wizard’s interests are different from his own. He values bringing benefits to the six groups more.

Therefore, they hope that Locke, the new wizard, can cooperate with their research team.

Locke frowned slightly. As a researcher at the Advanced Institute of Zhenzhi, he received high welfare benefits. If it was an ordinary exit project of the Institute of Zhenzhi, then even if he met the requirements, he could be discharged.

I guess I won’t be able to get that special funding project.

This is not in your own interest.

Locke took the information and did not refute it in person. After all, he came here to work, not as a student. The Celtic wizard in front of him could not interfere with what he wanted to do.

Learning to say no, and to say no to others reasonably and smoothly, is also a skill that a formal wizard should practice.

Locke said vaguely: “Well, I will take a look, Mr. Celtic.”

Being able to read does not mean that you will only choose between these two projects, nor does it mean that you will only determine the topic you want to work on from the information on the symbiotic relationship between madder-like magical plants and ant-like magical creatures.

You should at least take a quick look at the information here to see if you can pick out a good direction, and then decide on your own topic.

Moreover, he had independent rights over personnel and funding allocations in the contract, so he was not held hostage by the second-ring wizard, the team leader, in terms of funding and recruitment.

All you need to do is get the signature of Ekaterina the Witch.

The Celtic wizard frowned. As smart as he was, he naturally realized the hidden meaning behind Locke’s ambiguous answer.

The Celtic wizard’s patience suddenly vanished. “That’s about it.”

“I hope you can make the right choice. If you do, there’s at least a fair amount of past information within the six groups that you can reference. The wizard who was eliminated last year was also a breeder and an outsider. I never expected his overall abilities to be so poor, and once he was separated from his mentor, his research capabilities declined significantly.”

The Celtic wizard said, “The reason many wizards achieve so much at the first stage isn’t necessarily due to their own abilities. It could also be because their original research group had an outstanding full-time wizard who designed the research framework and secured relatively good research conditions for that group.”

The Celtic wizard looked impatiently at a chubby wizard behind the desk. “Panno, since you’re free, why don’t you teach this new wizard how to use the structure comparison machine and the ice mirror?”

After saying that, the Celtic wizard turned and left the file area, heading to the other end of the public laboratory, an area with a large magic field.

After the Celtic wizard had walked away, Wizard Panno stood up from behind the desk, looked at Locke curiously, and scratched his head. “Don’t think he’s mean. Besides being particularly concerned about the progress of Group 6’s experiment, he doesn’t have any bad intentions.”

Locke smiled and said, “Of course, if they really had ill intentions towards me, they wouldn’t have expressed their dissatisfaction to me directly. I know that Celtic wizards are only targeting the matter, not the person.”

Panno laughed and said, “Then you are much more insightful than me. In fact, the Celtic wizard was not like this a few years ago. He just failed repeatedly…”

“He failed when he was promoted to the Second Ring, Initial Forging Stage. Then he failed when he was selected as a Qinggan. Then he failed again when he was selected for the Three Lakes Thousand Talents Plan. After these consecutive failures, he started to behave strangely.”

“For example, sometimes he would stand at the door with his broken clock to see if any unlucky wizard would be late for a few minutes…”

Wizard Panno said, “By the way, hello, I’m Panno. I heard you’re from the Advanced Institute of True Knowledge, right? Your name is Locke? Let me teach you how to use those two large devices first.”

“Besides that, I can also explain to you how to use the various other equipment here.”

“I really envy you. I heard you’re the champion of the Yunze Cup and a researcher at the Institute of Advanced Knowledge. You’re not as useless as me.”

Although Pannuo was a one-ring crystal wizard and not very old, looking only in his thirties, close to forty, he had lost all his fighting spirit at this moment.

He was dejected. “Although I’m a local of Yunze Wetland and a student at this university, I chose to stay at the Zhenzhi Academy after graduation. But this is already my second year, and my application for the Zhenzhi Academy Fund Project still hasn’t been approved.”

“Oh, I’m almost dying of worry.”

Locke asked in confusion, “Why? Isn’t the application for this fund project very basic? Can everyone apply for it?”

Wizard Panno shook his head and said, “I thought so at first. But my luck is really bad. I passed once last year, but after a year, I realized that I was going in the wrong direction.”

“So, I had no choice but to reapply for the major this year. But in this case, I had to return the funding and reapply. This is the rule of Jinmianshan Zhenzhi Academy.”

“Then, I worked on it for another three months, cultivating some snake heart grass and purchasing some Sky Bow Ants. I had the framework ready and was about to continue my research when a damn triangular black sheep ate all my snake heart grass.”

Panno covered his face. “Snake Heart Grass is extremely rare, found only in a few places. It not only ate all my grass, but also the seedlings and all the seeds I left.”

“I’m really miserable.”

“Now, I’m trying to find my way again.”

Pannuo raised the information in his hand.

Locke followed him to a huge instrument composed of a large number of hollow tubes and crystal matrices.

Obviously, it is the structural comparison machine.

Locke asked curiously, “Then why don’t you ask the Celtic wizard to provide you with some projects? He just suggested that I do those two projects.”

Pan Nuo said guiltily, “He doesn’t trust me. I heard about those two projects, but the ants and magic plants needed for the experiments are valuable assets left over from generations of our six groups.”

“You’re the Yunze Cup champion and a researcher at the Advanced Zhenzhi Academy. No matter how much he disagrees with you, he still admits that you’re capable.”

“That’s why I’m giving you the valuable resources related to those two projects. If you’re truly willing to use them, I’ll be different. I asked him about this before, but he was worried… worried that the same fate that befell my snake heart grass would happen to the Robustas and Brola grasses.”

Panno’s eyes flashed with anger. “In the final analysis, it’s all because of that damned Triangle Black Sheep. The damn thing is, it was the pet of a second-ring wizard in Group Three.”

“I can only swallow my anger.”

Locke looked at him speechlessly. This was really tragic.

Panno explained to Locke the specific usage of the two large devices. The structure of the comparison machine was fine, so the two of them started practicing directly.

But there were so many wizards queuing up for the Ice Mirror that Panno himself hadn’t used it many times. It was said that he had only used it once.

Therefore, Panno could only use words with great effort to describe in detail how to use the Ice Magic Mirror.

“Well, it’s like this, then that, and finally…” Panno and Locke stopped in front of the Ice Magic Mirror area in the corner of the public laboratory.

I saw that there were many formal wizard students queuing up in that area.

As soon as the magic mirror was empty, students immediately used magic to summon their mentors, and their mentors used magic to rush over immediately.

Wizard Panno looked at the Ice Mirror and said, “Anyway, that’s basically it. There’s a spirit inside the mirror. You just need to know the general instructions for using it. The spirit will help you. Using the Ice Mirror to observe the structural components of natural magic will test your eyesight and your proficiency in its use.”

“However, because we have only been able to use the Ice Mirror so rarely, no one is very proficient in its use.”

(End of this chapter)