Wizard: Starting With Synthesized Gems - Chapter 796

Chapter 793 Approach Method and Borrowing Experimental Consumables

Locke said to Dean Earl and Harlen Vera, “Besides wanting to establish the Forest Alliance Fund, I also want to set up a project team.”

“In the previous battle, I captured a world from a second-circle wizard on the dark wizard’s side.”

“But I need to consolidate my victory. I need botanical wizards to enter that world to help me maintain the forest.”

Locke thought for a moment, not telling the two his true purpose, which was the Star Forging of Great Magic.

Because it involved too much complex knowledge.

Locke said, “The forest on Albert’s side can open an entrance. I can let their consciousness enter that world. Using avatars, they can manipulate tree people to work for me.”

“I will pay them a salary. But the minimum requirement for this project team is that they are formal wizards.”

“And they need to sign a confidentiality agreement. I will arrange the confidentiality agreement contract, and I will personally pay the cost of the agreement.”

Locke only needs to use the ecological corridor formed by the Forest Alliance spell to set up specific spell models there, and then he can do this.

This is not difficult.

Harlen Vera and Dean Earl exchanged a glance, and both of them became serious, realizing that this matter was extraordinary.

Otherwise, Locke wouldn’t have specifically requested that the wizards joining this project team be at least officially certified wizards.

Locke said, “I will pay 10,000 magic stones per month as a subsidy, allowing those officially certified wizards to use their sleep time to do this task.”

“It won’t affect the academy’s normal teaching and research arrangements.”

“My requirements are: first, they must be botanical wizards; second, they must be wizards from Lilith’s Hut; third, this wizard must undertake certain forest maintenance responsibilities, as well as the possible transfer of some technology to the natives.”

Wizard Harun Vera coughed. “Locke, don’t worry, the people at Lilith’s Hut are basically all our own people.”

“I will announce your task requirements within the academy to see if any officially certified wizards want to join your project team.”

Dean Earl hesitated for a moment.

“But using sleep time to work, isn’t that going too far? That’s pushing yourself too hard; it could lead to ‘sleepy disorder.’”

“I’ll ask around the academy if there are any full-fledged wizards who don’t currently have projects and want to do this task. I think quite a few would be interested.”

Locke paused, then suddenly realized he’d been in the Cloud Marsh Wetlands for too long, taking it all for granted to utilize every spare moment to the fullest.

In the Cloud Marsh Wetlands, using sleep time for other things was perfectly normal.

But in the Southeast Corner Region, full-fledged wizards were precious assets. If you didn’t want to strive, if you didn’t want to improve, it was a different story.

Full-fledged wizards here lived as wealthy and content as kings in the mortal world.

How could they possibly endure this hardship?

In Lilith’s Hut, a full-fledged wizard could be incredibly comfortable if they wanted to lie down.

Of course, if they wanted to improve, it would be just as tough.

During his time at Lilith’s Hut, he’d seen full-fledged wizards holding multiple positions to earn money.

“These are all personal choices,”

Locke said. “Okay. Initially, we need eight to ten first-ring botanical wizards. But they must be reliable.”

Locke thought for a moment. Actually, he could hire people in Yunze Wetlands.

But hiring through his alma mater in the Southeast Corner Region had many hidden advantages.

First, the first-ring wizards here could work on a horizontal project steadily and long-term.

Second, the price would be relatively cheaper.

Third, the confidentiality would be better, as the power dynamics here were much simpler. Lilith’s Hut had many wizards, who were essentially his own people.

For that reason alone, it was worth hiring them.

The reason he didn’t hire from Golden Crown Mountain was simple: the first-ring wizards there were basically facing promotion or dismissal; they were all geniuses, and they wouldn’t be willing to work for such a small amount of money.

Even if they did, they couldn’t do it long-term.

This project was crucial to his Star Forging, and he couldn’t be careless; it was a long and tough battle.

Therefore, he wanted to establish such a project team in conjunction with his alma mater.

Wizard Harlan Vera chuckled, “If that’s the case, I can recommend quite a few suitable first-ring wizards to you. Many of your fellow disciples are still struggling to find suitable jobs; this is a good opportunity to give them a transition.”

“Now that you’re a Grand Wizard, Locke, you can offer job opportunities to your fellow disciples.”

Locke smiled; if they were from his own sect, that would indeed be even better,

as it involved the design of the power system.

Locke said seriously, “However, I need to conduct interviews. Only wizards who pass my interview can join this project team.”

Harlan Vera and Dean Earl nodded.

“Of course,”

Harlan Vera said. “Locke, we’ve prepared a dinner for you and Hussein at Lilith Cottage, and we hope you can attend.”

“Many of your old friends at Lilith Cottage are waiting to see you. Besides, you haven’t been back to the academy in a long time.”

Locke waved his hand, removing the magical pressure barrier. “Alright.”

“I haven’t been back to the academy in a long time. I really want to see my old friends this time.”

“By the way, Headmaster, I have a friend named Patty, a second-class wizarding apprentice at Vildantia University. She was one of the first people I studied magic with. If possible, could she transfer to Lilith Cottage?”

“Vildantia University isn’t a good option right now.”

“I remember she was studying potion identification at Vildantia University…”

Harlan Vera paused.

“Then she really should consider transferring. Because that subject isn’t valued at Vildantia, and the only officially recognized wizard, Quinn, died in battle.”

“She’d be stuck with nowhere to study at Vildantia anyway.”

Headmaster Earl thought for a moment.

“Since it was Locke who suggested it, I will propose to the University of Verdandia that I purchase that wizard apprentice.”

“As long as we pay the tuition fees that the University of Verdandia is paying for her training, we should be able to buy her. However, she will need to consider transferring schools.”

Locke nodded slightly.

He’d already done enough as a friend; whether the Witch Patty was planning to relearn or had other considerations was none of his concern.

He’d only mentioned it casually.

…

In the library of Yunze Wetlands, Golden Crown Mountain, Locke continued reading, finally finding an article that might be helpful after poring over a large number of botanical documents.

“Indeed, constantly reading documents can inspire my thinking.”

Locke looked at the document in his hand; it wasn’t a second-ring document, but a first-ring one.

He’d just picked it up casually.

It was about approach grafting in grafting cultivation. There were many grafting methods within grafting cultivation, but because his advancement had been too rapid, he’d only mastered a few of the most important and common ones.

“The approach grafting method involves making long, tongue-shaped incisions at the roots of two magical plants, then joining the incisions together for temporary symbiosis.”

In other words, the usual grafting method involves taking a portion of each of two magical plants and permanently grafting them together to create a single magical plant.

This approach grafting method, however, uses a grafting cultivation technique to graft two magical plants together, but both retain their original roots; they remain two separate individuals, not a single plant. The

two plants are simply grafted together through the incisions, establishing a temporary nutrient channel.

This article was written by a second-ring botanical wizard from Golden Crown Mountain, at the first-ring stage, and dates back five hundred years.

The approach grafting method consists of three stages.

First, the two magical plants are grafted together to establish a temporary nutrient channel.

Second, 80% of the connecting portion between the two magical plants is severed to test whether a weaker plant can grow independently.

Third, the connection between the two is completely severed.

Grafting was originally used to save precious, weak magical plants.

It uses the nutrients of strong magical plants to strengthen the weak ones.

This wizard wrote this article to try and study whether the first stage of grafting could be maintained indefinitely, allowing two magical plants to permanently form a nutrient channel.

Locke pondered, “Using grafting, a method of cultivation within grafting, it is indeed possible to allow two magical plants to share roots.”

“That’s certainly a good idea. But there’s a problem. First, the conclusion of this article is that grafting cannot remain in the first stage forever, achieving permanent symbiosis.”

“Because three major problems will arise. 1. Disruption of the plant’s vascular system, resulting in an imbalance in nutrient distribution. 2. Worsening growth competition. 3. Structural damage, leading to tumor-like callus tissue.”

This wizard was quite patient; he conducted one experiment for ten years. Therefore, Locke saw various end-game consequences of long-term symbiosis using grafting in the article.

Generally, within three years, the mortality rate of the weaker plant can reach 80%.

Even if the weaker plant doesn’t die, the grafting wound from the approach grafting method will become tumorous, and the nutrient channels created by the grafting method will break down within five years.

In other words, the research results of this article suggest that approach grafting cannot be used on a single magical plant for an extended period.

Locke pondered, “But at least it gives me a clue.”

“Using the approach grafting method in grafting cultivation, two magical plants can share roots. We can arrange some related experiments soon to prove whether, when using approach grafting, one magical plant can benefit from the strong roots of another, it can share the function of the imaginary roots of that other magical plant.”

It should be possible.

Because imaginary roots are simply a supplement to normal roots.

If approach grafting allows two magical plants to share the function of normal roots, then it can definitely share imaginary roots.

However, there are still many problems; this is at best just a clue.

Because even if it can be achieved, approach grafting cannot be maintained for a long time. It’s more like a transition, a way for a strong magical plant to help a weak one.

It cannot be maintained for more than three years.

But that’s not the main issue.

Because three years is actually quite long.

The problem is that grafting involves making incisions on the branches of the magical plants, and the incisions of the two magical plants must fit together.

How can he graft the Wizard’s Shoes magical plant onto the Shadow Fern on the Underworld Iron Tree?

Locke pondered, “It’s not impossible. We just need to misalign the two spaces.”

“However, this idea is even more far-fetched and unrealistic; I can’t even solve the cost problem. Wait… the Imaginary Sea…”

“Every world has an Imaginary Sea, and the elemental coupling phenomenon within the Imaginary Sea is even more severe. Many different Imaginary Seas may have elemental coupling and union, achieving mutual energy flow.”

“This is why the Imaginary Seas of many worlds are so powerful. The Imaginary Sea is more prone to elemental coupling, and is even considered by some wizards to be one of the energy sources consumed by a world’s continuous development.”

“Because this means that a world can absorb energy for development through the Imaginary Sea, and the Imaginary Sea can have energy connections with the Imaginary Seas of stronger worlds.”

“The world can then obtain energy from the Imaginary Sea.”

Locke consulted the literature on the Imaginary Sea.

“Perhaps we can find a way to further refine the approach method through the Imaginary Sea.”

“Not just the Imaginary Sea, the Styx River is also a place where consciousness flows in. Utilizing this characteristic, perhaps if we can get the two magical plants to achieve [approach] in consciousness, we can use the imaginary root of the Shadow Fern in the physical realm.”

“The Shadow Fern is currently grafted onto the Underworld Iron Tree, so it can mobilize some of the Underworld Iron Tree’s energy. If I can find a way to achieve approach without physical contact, I might be able to fish out the energy of that Underworld Iron Tree. I could then create a powerful energy body that can infinitely support the shared imaginary root.”

“Don’t worry, sharing an imaginary root will lead to insufficient energy for the imaginary root.”

Locke returned to his laboratory in the Dune Plane with five articles about the Imaginary Sea. After greeting Mason Witch and the others, he headed to the tenth level’s One Acre of Magic Field.

Because it involved the imaginary root, this experiment was something Mason Witch and the others couldn’t help him with.

He had to do it himself.

Locke could experiment with this. First, he used the Spirit Vein Stitcher to make an incision on a minor branch of the Golden Peach Tree, then placed the tree into the magical field. He then activated the Magic Tide Concentration Gradient Control Panel on this level, raising the magic tide concentration gradient of the magical field.

Simultaneously, a glass dome covered the field to prevent the magic tide from leaking out.

Locke took out a Tree Fern of the Sea of Gold, made an incision on it with a grafting knife, and then grafted the two magical plants together, using an Advanced Grafting Healing Spell Model.

Locke quickly fine-tuned the spell model, allowing the wounds to heal.

He then looked at the two magical plants, finding nothing.

Locke frowned, then something occurred to him.

“Right, that’s not enough. The difference between a second-ring and a first-ring magical plant is huge, so I can’t just do it this far like that article.”

“The core of the grafting method is to create an artificial nutrient channel.”

“Then I must create another efficient nutrient channel to allow the energy of the Golden Peach Tree to enter the Sea Gold Sand. Perhaps I can use the imaginary roots of the Golden Peach Tree to power my Sea Gold Sand. Then, by using the Moon Cultivation Method with the Moon of Evolution, I might be able to transform my Sea Gold Sand into a second-ring magical plant without independently adding imaginary roots.”

Locke pondered, “An artificial nutrient channel…that’s a good design.”

“I’ll use the enchanted ‘Fire Tree Silver Flower’ spell to forcibly connect the vascular bundles of the two magical plants.”

Locke chanted the spell, and instantly a small, fiery-flower-like dagger danced at the point of connection. Ten minutes later, the energy of the Sea Gold Sand plant increased; its branches and leaves unfurled, seemingly on the verge of bursting from the energy.

The entire Sea Gold Sand plant radiated an energetic glow.

Locke was shocked.

“Success! They actually shared the imaginary root.”

“Then I just need to use the Evolution Moon to let the Sea Gold Sand utilize this energy to complete its evolution.”

“If that’s the case, as long as I solve how to make two magical plants use the grafting method without contact, multiple magical plants can use the imaginary root of one magical plant!”

“Hmm, now I can go to the libraries of Bonifacius University and the Rose Council. I’ll spend a month at the Golden Crown Mountain Library, then a month at the Bonifacius University Library, and then a month at the Rose Council Library.”

“That should give me a solution.”

Locke glanced at the magic field; the best thing about being near a large group is that you can freeload some experimental equipment and supplies.

Another free experiment!

Happy.

(End of Chapter)