Wizard: Starting With Synthesized Gems - Chapter 908

Chapter 903 The Champion: Russell’s Throne!

At the Golden Grail Magic Plant Flying Competition, streaks of illusory golden sand appeared in mid-air. As the sand settled into seats, wizards materialized within them.

Locke’s forehead automatically developed the innate magic eye of a three-eyed tiger-eye cat, enhancing his perception as a second-circle wizard. This was clearly a common method of movement using golden magic found in the borderlands of light and shadow.

However, unlike the Golden Dragon Clan, their golden magic was not open-source, making it impossible to learn this method of movement by observing their magic.

Besides the movement of the golden sand, some wizards traveled in semi-illusory golden griffin-shaped carriages. The moment the carriage struck a seat, it vanished instantly, and the wizards who had been seated inside appeared in their seats.

These methods of movement were truly unique and eye-opening.

At this time, officials from various prominent families across the Golden Dynasty were arriving.

Because of golden magic, half of the teaching positions in the Golden Dynasty were bound to bloodline, while the other half required personal effort.

However, only those of the Golden Clan can rapidly improve their magic level and obtain corresponding teaching positions within this Golden Dynasty.

Overall, Locke observed that the Horizon of Darkness and Light was normal, not significantly different from the Cloud Marsh Wetlands. It was only because different grades of Golden Bloodlines truly differentiated the speed of a wizard apprentice’s Golden Magic progress that a latent rule existed here where a wizard’s future potential could be discerned based on bloodline grade.

Generally speaking, the family wizards here weren’t particularly powerful.

After all, all families and wizarding academies served the Golden Dynasty, which unified all the major wizarding families, individual wizards, and academies in the Horizon of Darkness and Light through this system.

Not all wizarding academies here studied Golden Magic, but they were largely encompassed by the Golden Dynasty’s official rank system.

Locke remembered that the ranks here ranged from approximately Rank 1 to Rank 9, and wizards reaching Rank 7 were considered high-ranking and powerful. The highest rank a small wizarding academy’s headmaster could possibly hold was Rank 5.

The headmaster of a wizarding organization like Lilith’s Hut, before enrolling, would likely only have been a sixth or seventh-tier official.

Yet here, many fourth-tier and even third-tier officials were present.

Locke felt a strange sense of familiarity between the official system of the Golden Dynasty at the Boundary Between Darkness and Light and the Pale Pilgrimage.

However, the Boundary Between Darkness and Light’s official system had undergone modern reforms and was recognized by the White Wizarding Association. Essentially, these officials were merely instructors for wizards; no one possessed the power of life and death that once belonged to superiors.

Therefore, it only retained the form of the ancient system, lacking its true essence.

At that moment, the sound of golden bells suddenly drifted from afar, one clear chime after another.

On the field, a wizard shouted, “Heavens! It’s a second-tier Grand Marshal—the Champion Marquis has arrived!”

In the distance, a phantom golden carriage appeared in the sky, its surface incredibly opulent and precious, every detail overflowing with unbelievable grandeur.

Pulling the carriage was an ancient golden dragon. However,

upon closer inspection, Locke realized it was merely an illusion created with golden magic, not real.

As the magnificent carriage descended, a terrifying magical pressure descended—

the magical pressure of a Third Ring Throne!

The so-called Champion Marquis emerged from within, none other than Russell, a direct descendant of the Golden Dynasty’s royalty and a Third Ring Throne wizard.

The golden magic in the air automatically transformed into golden stairs, allowing him to ascend to the audience area.

Locke, seated in the competition area, wore a strange expression, unlike the awe on the faces of the other contestants. This

was because he had written a letter to Russell about six months ago,

and Russell had replied.

Now it seems this was truly a case of youthful arrogance and ignorance leading to fearlessness. It turns out that King Russell’s status in the Boundary Between Darkness and Light was incredibly high; he was actually a second-tier official there! And he

even possessed the title of Marquis of Champion.

Locke remembered that while the official positions in the Golden Dynasty were practically meaningless, the nobility system still held considerable value. According to the magic books he had read, legend had it that the nobility titles in the Boundary Between Darkness and Light were forged by golden magic, and all those who were granted titles received the blessing of golden magic.

At this moment, the contestants in the seats around Locke were all discussing this.

A second-circle wizard from the Black Iron Mountain Wizarding Grounds whispered, “That’s Grand Judge Russell, a man of immense power and influence within the Golden Dynasty. A single glance from him could cost you your life, as you might break the law. It’s said that no one in the entire Boundary Between Darkness and Light dares to provoke him, and no wizard is so idle as to have a casual conversation with this Grand Judge.”

Locke: “…”

Another

wizard from Ancient Vine Village, named [Leon Newman], looked up at Russell’s throne with reverence.

“But this wizard possesses near-perfect magic; he is a pioneer on the path of truth.”

Ancient Vine Village and Black Iron Mountain are two wizarding grounds bordering the Boundary Between Darkness and Light. Even today, the wizards of these two lower-level wizarding grounds still hold the Boundary Between Darkness and Light in deep esteem.

For them, entering the Boundary Between Darkness and Light to participate in the Golden Cup is like a pilgrimage, or a way to realize their life’s ideals.

The wizards from the Fission Plains, the Tianjiang Riverbank, the Qionghua Enclave, and the Spiral Basin were relatively taciturn. Their admiration for the throne wizard before them stemmed solely from his status as a throne wizard.

At this moment, Leon Newman, the wizard sitting in front of Locke, suddenly turned to Locke and said, “Wizard Augustine, I hadn’t heard much about you in our Ancient Vine Village before. However, before the competition, I’ve learned a bit about you. Although your work, the Great Roaring Dragon Sparrow, has a significant advantage in this competition, I am a wizard from Ancient Vine Village. We wizards of Ancient Vine Village may not excel in other areas, but we will not admit defeat before the battle even begins.”

Leon Newman looked at Locke, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.

“I will use my work, the Flying Gourd, to win the final championship. We’ll wait and see.”

The second-ring wizard from Black Iron Mountain Wilderness sitting next to him hesitated, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

He wanted to make a bold statement like the villagers of Gu Teng Township, but after thinking about it, he gave up. After all, he felt the gap was too big.

The wizards of their Black Iron Mountain Wild Wizard Land were more pragmatic and simply didn’t have the confidence to compete with the Great Ming Dragon Sparrow. If they were to make a bold statement now, they would probably just become a laughing stock.

There were many high-ranking officials from the Golden Dynasty, as well as spectators from its subordinate wizarding academies. If he were to return home disgraced, what would become of him?

Especially since the Golden Dynasty was, in his eyes, a land of superior wizards, a sacred place in his heart.

His every word and action represented the face of the wizards of Black Iron Mountain at the boundary between light and shadow.

Locke scanned the contestants below. Most of them avoided his gaze, not daring to meet his eyes, clearly having already given up before the competition, only aiming for a ranking, having long since abandoned any hope of winning.

A few, like Leon Newman, had a challenging look in their eyes.

Even the two wizards from Black Iron Mountain, seemingly not competing with him, were actually outwardly gentle but inwardly strong, already secretly vying for his attention.

Of course, some participating wizards hadn’t even come in person, only sending their students or disciples to submit their entries; clearly, these people weren’t paying attention to him.

Locke rested his chin on his hand, looking down at the contestants who were deliberately sitting below him, with no one else in the same row.

These people all seemed to harbor a subtle hostility towards him.

They didn’t see him as an enemy, but as the biggest boss in this competition.

As long as he was there, they knew they had no chance of winning.

His presence had even led to three wizards withdrawing before the competition even started. In the eyes of many wizards unaware of the inside story, even the genius breeder from the Mamluk Rift Valley didn’t withdraw because he was tricked by a dark wizard, but because he was scared away.

Therefore, he had become the de facto target of everyone in this competition!

But so what?

From the first day he entered Golden Crown Mountain, he had been resented by many wizards outside its gates. Those people hoped he would go down so they could enter Golden Crown Mountain.

No matter what he did, he couldn’t change the outcome.

Just like now.

But that didn’t matter.

Because he came here to participate in the competition and win the championship, not to play house.

If he wanted to win, he had to defeat everyone here.

At this moment, at the highest point of the stands, the champion wizard Russell entered. Everyone—from the staff of the Golden Cup tournament committee to Wizard Bruce and his witch secretary—stood and bowed to this Third Ring Throne wizard.

Every Third Ring Throne wizard must have made some kind of enduring contribution to wizarding civilization.

Otherwise, they could not have become Third Ring Throne wizards.

Therefore, even Wizard Bruce and his companions from the Land of Dragonfall did not display the arrogance they showed to the Golden Cup tournament committee staff, but instead bowed to Throne Russell.

This was a bow to truth.

A bow to every wizard who silently strives for truth.

To despise the throne was to despise themselves.

Throne Russell vanished from their sight in an instant, appearing the next moment between Wizard Bruce and the Sun Ring Wizard Director of the Golden Cup tournament committee.

Bruce the Wizard addressed Throne Russell: “Your Majesty, I am Bruce the Wizard of the Windbound Sanctuary. It is an honor to meet you.”

“The White Wizarding Association of the Dragonfall Lands is eager to cooperate with the White Wizarding Association of the Boundary Between Light and Darkness to counter the increasingly aggressive Starfield Sea,”

Throne Russell said. “Our differences with the Starfield Sea aren’t that great. It’s simply that some people want more benefits, while others feel that some people don’t deserve so much—they are the ones who do.”

“Just internal strife.”

“No need to say more. This time, I heard that a magical plant with the potential to win appeared before the competition, called something like the Great Roaring Dragon Sparrow?”

Bruce the Wizard smiled: “Indeed. Your Majesty, that is an excellent flying magical plant. I never realized that among flying magical plants, there were those so suitable for conversion into flying machines. Whether it’s instantaneous explosive power, flight speed, or carrying capacity, yesterday I even witnessed a scene where twenty-six flying magical plants together lifted a massive magical creature.”

“Impressive,”

said Throne Russell. “Hmm. Bruce, since you say so, it seems there’s some truth to it. Speaking of which, I have a connection with this young wizard who developed the Great Roaring Dragon Sparrow.”

Wizard Bruce’s pupils contracted slightly.

“Ah?”

Throne Russell said, “He once consulted me about Golden Foxtail Grass and Green Foxtail Grass. Later, he published a paper in a Second Ring, First District journal.”

Wizard Bruce’s face twitched, because even for Sun Ring wizards, a Second Ring, First District journal was something to be proud of.

Throne Russell said, “Probably because he’s humble, so I like to give him pointers. Although I’m a Throne Wizard, he’s like an ant to me, but I still like to praise such humble young talents.”

Wizard Bruce’s forehead was sweating. He said to Throne Russell, “I understand. Your Highness.”

Wizard Bruce bowed to Throne Russell and sat back in his seat. He was drenched in sweat, clearly realizing that some of his previous actions had touched a nerve with the High Ring wizards.

No, is the Starfield Sea really putting that much pressure on the Boundary Between Darkness and Light and the Land of Dragonfall?

Is the determination of the White Wizard Associations of these two wizarding lands to increase their voice in the Eastern Boundary Council really that strong?

They’re even allowing him, a Sun Ring Wizard, to show the slightest negligence.

Wizard Bruce’s heart sank slightly; these things were too far removed from him. Even

if the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up.

But there were some things he couldn’t ignore: Throne Russell said he knew that wizard from the Cloud Marsh Wetlands.

He had originally wanted to gamble on Locke’s chances of winning the championship, or even if he did, he could still use his unfamiliarity with the area to negotiate a lower price.

But now that Throne Russell had made his stance clear, he could no longer bully him as a Sun Ring Wizard.

Throne Russell glanced at Wizard Bruce, not angry, because the wizards of Dragonfall were more like merchants, always probing for opportunities to suppress competitors and lower prices. Therefore, Throne Russell knew that this wizard was merely a test of Dragonfall’s strength in probing the border between Darkness and Light.

He was simply being used by the high-ring wizards.

After all, it was a high-ring wizard from Dragonfall who sent him.

A high-ring wizard obviously had the ability to judge which type of wizard to send to the border between Darkness and Light, and what purpose they could achieve.

Crowned Marquis Russell announced, “Every Golden Grail is highly valued by the Golden Dynasty. Therefore, the Grand Chancellor of the Golden Dynasty specially sent me here to observe the ceremony. All of you young talents have traveled a long way to participate in the Golden Grail. Today, there will surely be a wonderful match on this field, witnessed by all the wizards of the border between Darkness and Light.”

In the audience, Locke heard the wizards whispering amongst themselves.

“The Golden Dynasty no longer has a Wizarding Grand Duke, so the Grand Chancellor is the highest-ranking official, right?”

“Probably similar to the most influential dean in the most prestigious wizarding university in our wizarding lands…”

“More or less… but the Grand Chancellor of the Golden Dynasty also seems to hold the position of president of the White Wizarding Association here.”

The Russell Throne spoke again.

“Now I declare the Golden Grail Tournament officially open.”

“The conditions for completing the tournament are simple. After the referee announces takeoff, fly along the chained flight path in the sky, and the first person to reach the destination is the champion. Along the way, numerous flying magical creatures will break free of their chains and attack you.”

“But I believe the flying magical plants cultivated by your own breeders will be even more superior.” (

Next chapter will be released tomorrow during the day .)

(End of this chapter)