Wizard: Starting With Synthesized Gems - Chapter 903

Chapter 898: The completion of the clone potion and brandy is published in a Zone 2 journal (Seeking monthly votes at the beginning of the month).

In the public laboratory of the True Knowledge Institute, Locke had always had a private workstation.

He sat there, striking one Two-Singing Cicada spirit macro against another. The two collided and fused together.

The two spirit macros spun in his hand, reaching their peak at a certain moment before suddenly separating into a pile of fragments.

“With my current spiritual knowledge, I’m still lacking.”

Locke brushed away the fragments, finding a barely complete, usable half of a Two-Singing Cicada spirit macro.

“But if I collect two more such spirit macros, I can synthesize them into a truly complete, usable Two-Singing Cicada fragment. Then I can try to transform it into a ritual action to refine the Doppelganger Potion.”

“My current talent in potion-making is inferior to archaeology and breeding.”

His archaeology, thanks to obtaining the potion key from the fake tomb and acquiring twenty historical spirits, was now vastly different.

“But as long as I spend some time continuously creating spirit macro fragments, I should still be able to create two suitable Twin Cicada Spirit Macros based on my current spiritual knowledge,”

Locke pondered. “This requires some patience, and gradually improving my spirit macro in the process.”

Locke didn’t immediately perform this operation, after all, his spiritual knowledge was almost depleted today.

If he depleted too much and his main body encountered an unexpected situation, it wouldn’t be good.

He needed to sit down and recover his condition, and drink some magic potions to accelerate his energy before continuing with the next step.

Locke calculated the time. If he used the synthesis cube, combined with his current spiritual knowledge, he would only need half a year to synthesize a Twin Cicada Spirit Macro suitable for refining the clone potion, thanks to his gradually improving spiritual knowledge.

This timeframe was undoubtedly not in line with his requirements,

nor with the Sea Queen’s expectations.

But it didn’t matter; he had a good way to complete this spirit macro within one day.

He could borrow spiritual knowledge!

Ever since Hussein’s risky attempt to connect Locke and Old Henry using the Blood Curse of Death to share spiritual knowledge and succeeded, Locke had remembered this.

At this moment, both of them were still exploring the vanguard.

Psychic Awareness could be improved slowly later; it was more reasonable to refine a bottle of clone potion first.

Moreover, each successful refinement of a second-circle potion would significantly increase one’s Psychic Awareness.

Psychic Awareness could be forcibly increased by successfully refining a second-circle potion; in a sense, it was similar to an experience bar.

This might be related to the inherent characteristics of Psychic Awareness.

Simply knowing something could lead to a certain level of improvement.

On the vanguard, Locke’s main body contacted the two and had Hussein cast the Blood Curse of Mutual Death on him and the old pirate Henry again.

Immediately afterwards, Locke, at his workstation in the public laboratory of the Golden Crown Mountain True Knowledge Institute, felt his Psychic Awareness almost double.

“With this level of Psychic Awareness, I can directly proceed with the creation of the Two-Singing Cicada’s Psychic Macro. I can complete the clone potion today. This meets the requirements of the Sea Queen Throne, as well as my own needs.”

Locke stood up.

At this moment, he was preparing to press on. The public laboratory had few people at his workstations and was protected by a special magical array, making it a quiet place he had specifically chosen.

However, he hadn’t expected to unexpectedly run into the witch Droma here.

Droma was also taken aback when she saw Locke. She quickly walked over and said, “Locke, I didn’t expect to meet you here. Did you know? That guy Brandy actually obtained a Zone 2 paper using the plant crystallization technology.”

Locke blinked.

“That guy Brandy didn’t have a Zone 2 paper before, did he?”

Droma’s heart churned with jealousy.

“Who says otherwise? He didn’t have a Zone 1 paper before! He published a Zone 2 paper in just over a week; it’s unbelievable. I was initially hesitant about researching plant crystallization technology, but now it seems I was foolish not to keep up.”

“Regardless of the future of this technology, it’s incredibly popular right now.”

A hint of envy and jealousy flashed in Droma’s eyes.

“Even that petty idiot Brandy managed to get a Zone 2 article. If I were to do it, wouldn’t I be able to publish in Zone 2 immediately, or even Zone 1 like you?”

“Brandy published a Zone 2 article in just one week. If he keeps doing that, wouldn’t he be able to publish in Zone 1?”

Wizard Droma shuddered.

“Locke, Brandy Wizard’s second issue was published in [Fragrant Yunze], a sub-journal of [Yunze]. The article is titled ‘The Magical Plant Crystallization Technology of Flowing Purple Bamboo,’”

Wizard Zhuoma whispered. “Now it’s said that those who are a step behind are the ones who suffer. As long as you are a step ahead of others, you can gain more benefits.”

“Brandy got a good deal. Originally, with his own abilities, I don’t know how long it would have taken him to publish a second issue.”

“Locke, are you going to join too? I heard that Zeno recently abandoned his own research and switched to studying magical plant crystallization technology.”

Locke frowned and whispered, “I have my own research now.”

Wizard Zhuoma said, “How can your own research direction compare to this magical plant crystallization technology route? Now the university even wants to set up a special fund to support research on this technology route. I heard that this will be a hot topic in Yunze Wetland for the next ten years.”

“Go in now, it’ll be easier. In a while, it’ll be time to clear out the area. Who knows how many of these wizards who have rushed in to research this technology will become cannon fodder?”

Locke nodded. He had long since lost patience with the wizard, Droma. If there weren’t so many other people around, he wouldn’t have wanted to talk to him at all.

Seeing Locke’s lack of interest, Droma also looked dejected. After all, everyone’s attention was focused on the plant crystallization technology.

All his energy was also focused on that technology.

This made Locke and Zeno, whom he and Brandy Wizard had previously cared about, seem less important, especially since Locke clearly didn’t want to get involved in the plant crystallization research.

Seeing Locke’s silence, Droma thought to herself, ‘If this Augustine wizard doesn’t get involved in the plant crystallization research, he’ll definitely become a marginal figure in the coming days.’

‘It seems he no longer needs our attention. Brandy, on the other hand, has gained more benefits than me now because he was one step ahead. Sigh, I must hurry. I need to find a way to obtain information on this technology, preferably some equipment that can be used directly for experiments.’

The sorceress, Droma, hurriedly left.

Locke frowned. ‘Zeno has also entered this research path? Then it seems that this year’s top-tier grants in the institute, besides mine, will all be for the magic plant crystallization technology.’

Locke blinked.

Would he feel lonely?

Probably not.

The pursuit of truth requires independence, and one must be prepared for no one to help them on this path.

Locke continued to focus, activating a sound-isolating magic array and a concealment array on his workstation.

Today, he would be completely immersed in obtaining the clone potion.

One day later.

Locke looked at the two cicada spirit arrays on his workstation and smiled.

At this moment, the two spirit-shaped artifacts were displayed intact on his desk.

Locke had proactively used his dragon bloodline to alter his own, severing the blood curse of mutual death.

On the vanguard of exploration, Hussein, arms crossed, looked at Locke in surprise, “You actually managed to break this blood curse of mutual death on your own.”

“I thought you had absolutely faith in me because you twice deliberately fell under my blood curse,”

Locke laughed. “Likewise, likewise. Your high-level tree spirit blood curse transformation is also quite good.”

Hussein said, “Well, I can explain that. It was mainly prepared for another friend of mine who is neither a wizard nor a human.”

Hussein looked at Locke and said, “If I told you that I only have about three years left to live, would you believe me?”

Locke looked at him in surprise, without replying.

Wasn’t it supposed to be a hundred years before the progenitor wizards entered their awakening period and began to operate in this world?

At that moment, the old pirate Henry beside them was drenched in cold sweat, leaning against the wall.

“Could you two please pay attention to me? Damn it, I’ve used up too much spiritual awareness. I’ve never used up so much spiritual awareness before, I’m a little unaccustomed to it.”

Locke was surprised. He asked old Henry, “Is the treatment on the pirate mothership this good? You’ve never been this tired before?”

Old pirate Henry said, “No. It’s mainly because I’ve used up my spiritual awareness several times in a short period of time.”

“Normally, every time I use my spiritual awareness, I wait until it’s fully recovered.”

Locke was speechless. After all, he had long since discovered that the involution of wizards in the Cloud Marsh Wetlands was quite prominent in the entire wizarding world.

…

Golden Crown Mountain, in the public laboratory, Locke got up and left, riding the Rainbow Sparrow back to his dormitory.

In the corridor, as Locke brushed past wizard Daniel, he suddenly turned to look at Daniel and said, “Daniel, have you entered the soul decay period?”

Daniel nodded and smiled at Locke, “Yes. I entered three days ago. I forgot to tell you. But it’s not too late to tell you now.”

Locke said, “Congratulations.”

Daniel rubbed his temples wearily, feeling his condition deteriorating.

“My condition is getting worse and worse. I really don’t know how you managed to get through this state more than a year ago.”

“It’s really uncomfortable. It’s like… my body is stuck in a quagmire. I have strength, but I have nowhere to use it.”

Locke said, “Just let it be. In my experience, the more you fight against this feeling, the more uncomfortable it becomes. Once you enter the soul decline period, you can only move forward. There is no possibility of retreating.”

“You either break through to become a second-circle wizard and get rid of this state, or you will completely decline.”

Wizard Daniel nodded.

“That’s true. Look at me, I’m tired after saying just a few words. Locke, I’ll go first.”

Wizard Daniel yawned.

Locke turned to look at Wizard Daniel and thought, “Daniel is following the path I’ve been on for the past year. If I don’t get the special grant this time, I’m afraid Daniel will also join the competition for the special grant next year. Then he and I will be rivals.”

The competition is so fierce, and it can be said to be cruel.

If you are even one step behind, countless new rivals will appear, and past friends will become enemies because you are one step behind.

Only by constantly moving forward can one ascend.

This is the pressure one must face to walk the path of a top genius in wizarding civilization.

Locke raised his hand, and his door opened automatically. The elven maids inside had already cleaned his rooms and prepared his meal.

Locke entered the simple potion room, set up the cauldron, and activated the simple magic array within. Primordial fire then rose within the cauldron.

Locke threw the two Two-Cicada Spirit Potions he had obtained into the flames. He used

the Magic Flame Extraction Method.

He would use the magic flames to extract the corresponding ritual actions from the spirit potions.

Beams of light appeared on the surfaces of the two spirit potions that had fallen into the flames.

These golden beams of light shot into the sky, darting around wildly.

Then, these golden beams of light passed through his brain, then through his forehead, and memories flashed through his mind.

Half an hour later, Locke opened his eyes, and some remaining golden beams of light appeared in them.

A phantom action appeared before his eyes.

He clenched his fists, interlaced his fingers, and bowed two and a half times towards the cauldron.

He had successfully extracted the ritualistic action for the Doppelganger Potion!

Once he acquired this action, he could use it to refine the Doppelganger Potion in the future!

Locke immediately took out the potion ingredients he had prepared earlier. He had tried to refine the Doppelganger Potion several times before, but all had failed. However, he still had a set of ingredients left.

Following the steps meticulously, Locke placed the ingredients into the cauldron. Finally, he swirled a burning piece of pine resin above the cauldron, letting its smoke drift into the cauldron and into the potion.

Then, Locke discarded the pine resin.

He then clasped his hands together and bowed two and a half times towards the cauldron.

Next, the previously boiling liquid in the cauldron suddenly cooled completely, and the primordial fire instantly extinguished.

Locke went over to look and saw that the magical liquid in the cauldron was as clear as spring water.

It was done!

He had learned how to refine the Doppelganger Potion.

This was the sign that the Doppelganger Potion was complete.

The liquid potion in the cauldron was like a mirror, reflecting his facial features clearly, even the beads of sweat on his hair.

Locke immediately poured it into the Time Crystal Potion Bottle, smelled it, and then used his spiritual sense to observe the potion’s spiritual essence—its hidden true form.

He determined that the potion was indeed successfully made.

Then, Locke tilted his head back and drank the potion. The next moment, countless spiritual energies floated towards his shadow, the golden energies entering the shadow.

Then, the shadow actually stood up from the ground.

Locke’s shadow on the ground disappeared for a moment, but shadows can regenerate, and soon it reappeared. The standing shadow quickly transformed into a real person.

(End of this chapter)