Locke made up his mind. "This is a choice, but only by going to the best wizard academy can I access the most cutting-edge magical research."

"And Advanced Origin Academy gives young First Circle wizards like us such an opportunity. So, I definitely still need to go to an Advanced Origin Academy in the Three Marsh Lands."

"The graduation conditions for the three Advanced Origin Academies are actually all about the same."

"Then, I can make a selection from among them. Bonifacius University is the most comprehensive, while Rose Council is a wizard organization specifically researching [Rose-type magical plants]."

Locke flipped through the materials, "Rose Council has the most comprehensive research on rose-type magical plants in the Three Marsh Lands, from Thorn Crown Roses to Healing Silver Dew Roses to Seven-Petaled Pink Cluster Roses, numerous in quantity and gorgeously colored."

"Rose Council seems to believe that the colors of rose magical plants have a profound connection with human emotions. It is precisely because of this that rose colors are so beautifully varied. Therefore, Rose Council's rose magical plants have very deep research in Enchantment School and Mentalism School magic."

Through the materials, Locke saw that as one of the seven top-tier wizard organizations in Cloud Marsh Wetland, Rose Council had an important achievement in the breeding studies and botany direction—Rose Language Studies.

This Rose Language Studies of Rose Council was very influential in the Three Marsh Lands, and even throughout the entire Eastern Border Zone, because the entire Rose Language Studies discipline was forcibly proposed by Rose Council's Speaker—Rose Witch, Third Circle wizard, Throne Wizard, and she hoped to increase the number of articles in this small field discipline to help her become a Fourth Circle wizard, or even obtain the title of Truth Wizard.

To achieve this required excellent wizards one after another to join her school, deeply studying and expanding every small branch of Rose Language Studies, making Rose Language Studies a prominent discipline.

"In Rose Language Studies, almost all rose magical plants correspond to a very subtle emotion." Locke said, "Moreover, because this is a Throne Wizard's research, it's studied very meticulously. That emotional subdivision has reached a level ordinary people cannot comprehend."

Locke saw materials in the book stating that, for example, Great Red Flower Roses represented jealous passionate love based on passion, while Double-Petaled Red Roses represented passionate love based on ideological compatibility.

Both rose magical plants were types of rose magical plants, both apprentice-level magical plants, but under the guidance of the breeding studies branch—Rose Language Studies, the two had great differences.

"But I'm not very familiar with rose magical plants. Joining Rose Council's Advanced Origin Academy would require seriously changing my future research direction." Locke said, "Aside from the dragon's awe obtained through Plant Mimicry, which is Mentalism School magic, I basically haven't had much contact with Mentalism School and Enchantment School magic."

"Choosing Rose Council's Advanced Origin Academy could very easily cause me to be unaccustomed to the environment. If I'm forced to leave the station because I can't complete the graduation conditions within the specified time, that would be purely wasting my five years."

Origin Academies were different from wizard academies. Origin Academies had graduation time limits, generally five to ten years. Only in extremely rare circumstances would a wizard be allowed to stay in an Origin Academy for twenty years.

Locke thought for a moment, "The remaining Bonifacius University is a comprehensive university. Breeding studies, botany, and weather studies are all strong, and it's also skilled in the magical painting field and textile studies and construction studies fields. These six magic sub-category academies are all Bonifacius's strong academies."

"Bonifacius University has a total of fifty-seven magic sub-category disciplines and has established fifty-seven academies."

"Each magic sub-category has an academy. Among them, the Breeder Academy ranks second, while the Weather Mage Academy ranks first." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Locke nodded slightly, "Then Bonifacius University is strongest in the textile sub-direction magic of the Alchemy School, the breeding studies and botany of the Life School, weather mage aspects of the Evocation School, and magical painting of the Illusion School, these four fields."

"Golden Crown Mountain focuses on bloodline studies and breeding studies, as well as the Force School, and... botany."

"Between Golden Crown Mountain and Bonifacius University, I can actually choose either." Locke said, "No matter which I choose, actually the difference won't be very great."

Locke thought for a moment and opened his gray stone tablet. He still had the privilege exclusive to the Cloud Marsh Cup champion, having the Cloud Marsh Cup competition committee come forward to help him negotiate conditions with the Advanced Origin Academy leadership of his choice.

This was a right exclusive to the Cloud Marsh Cup champion.

Locke had a private conversation with Director Morrison through the Cloud Marsh Cup small group on the gray stone tablet.

Because this small group was completely created by Cloud Marsh Wetland's Water Hyacinth System invasion, Locke didn't need to recharge for gold membership to use the gray stone tablet to have a video conversation with Director Morrison.

Director Morrison's light and shadow appeared in front of the gray stone tablet. Director Morrison seemed to be in his laboratory, guiding First Circle wizard junior mentors.

All the plants in that laboratory weren't in flowerpots, but in water spheres floating in midair.

Director Morrison said, "I see. You've chosen to enter Advanced Origin Academy, a wise choice."

"For an excellent First Circle wizard like you, choosing to enter Advanced Origin Academy is more suitable for you, and obtaining an advanced meditation method from Advanced Origin Academy is... actually even simpler."

Seeing Locke show a puzzled expression, Director Morrison smiled and said, "This is also normal. If a young First Circle wizard enters Advanced Origin Academy, he doesn't enter as a mentor, but half as a mentor and half as a student."

"Since you're half a student, then naturally cultivation is still predominant. Therefore, Advanced Origin Academy's graduation conditions will be extremely high."

Director Morrison said, "So, precisely because of this, obtaining an advanced meditation method is actually much simpler than in other wizard organizations, and Advanced Origin Academies have many advanced meditation methods."

"So there will be more choices for selection. Overall, your choice is very good."

Director Morrison said, "Locke, I don't know what conditions you want me to negotiate with the two Advanced Origin Academies, but indeed, if negotiating conditions, if it's one-on-one negotiation, it will be very complex, but if it's one-on-two conversation, it will be much simpler and more convenient."

"You're the Cloud Marsh Cup champion and have the right to choose. Whichever Advanced Origin Academy can make more concessions to you, you choose that Advanced Origin Academy."

Locke thanked Director Morrison, "Then I'll trouble you, Director. Only, what conditions do you suggest I negotiate with Advanced Origin Academy?"

Director Morrison thought for a moment and said, "Generally speaking, for ordinary wizards, naturally the simpler the Advanced Origin Academy's graduation conditions, the better."

"So many wizards tend to negotiate with Origin Academy about how to simplify the graduation conditions. But I don't suggest you do this. The reason is that the high difficulty of graduation conditions is precisely why Advanced Origin Academy graduation certificates have high value."

Director Morrison said, "Moreover, I believe that with your ability, publishing three Tier 1 articles, completing a key plan sub-topic, completing a First Circle fund, mentoring two First Circle wizard students, these should be things you can completely accomplish."

"On the contrary, I think you should view these demanding graduation conditions as landmarks for tempering yourself. Your passing these landmarks represents the achievements you've made on the magical path."

Director Morrison said, "So I suggest you should place the focus of negotiation on the Origin Academy's research funding support for your projects, support for your research."

"For example, how much funding they're prepared to give you, whether your funding can be freely allocated or needs to be signed off by Origin Academy mentors with limited allocation on your part, whether you can make your own decisions about your projects or must follow Origin Academy mentors or be monitored by others."

"That is, how much funding is allocated annually, freedom to allocate funding, autonomy over projects, autonomy over research direction, and besides money, most importantly, the wizard personnel you can recruit autonomously, as well as the personnel the Origin Academy allocates to you."

Director Morrison said, "I suggest you negotiate all of these carefully with the Advanced Origin Academy you want to go to."

After listening, Locke felt there was nothing that needed supplementing, so he nodded and said, "Alright, Lord Morrison, then I'll leave it to you."

Director Morrison said, "It's my duty. As the champion of the Cloud Marsh Cup competition I'm responsible for, naturally you should sign a contract relatively suitable for you."

In the wizard world, besides mentorship relationships and wizard academy origins being very important, champion titles from important competitions like this were also an important social relationship and social label.

Locke's future development could be said to greatly affect the value of the Cloud Marsh Cup competition.

In other words, the Cloud Marsh Cup had only been held for not very long currently, so none of the previous champions had advanced to Third Circle yet. Only a few had already gone quite far in the Second Circle wizard stage.

But if Cloud Marsh Cup champions throughout history advanced to Third Circle wizards, then the championship value of the Cloud Marsh Cup competition would be further elevated. Whether it was the quality of participating contestants, investors willing to invest in this competition, or wizard academies recognizing this competition's value, all would become increasingly high and numerous.

Therefore, besides his duties, Director Morrison indeed had great motivation to negotiate a good contract for Locke.

Director Morrison said to Locke on the gray stone tablet, "Actually, in my personal opinion, I think you, little Locke, are more suited to go to Bonifacius University's Advanced Origin Academy."

Locke asked, "Lord Morrison, why is that?"

"Of course I'm not speaking for my own school." Director Morrison said, "Bonifacius University's breeding studies and botany are relatively balanced, while Golden Crown Mountain Dragon Blood Society's breeding studies lean more toward agriculture. After all, Golden Crown Mountain is dominated by the Force School and Bloodline School. Although breeding studies is also a flagship specialty, it leans toward the field of high-value agricultural magical plants."

"Of course, this kind of leaning is actually more obvious to us Third Circle wizards and Second Circle wizards. For you First Circle wizards, the impact isn't great. Golden Crown Mountain has several large breeding studies combat magical plant projects underway. I remember there are also several. Actually, they're enough for you young First Circle wizards to study."

Director Morrison said, "Alright, let's leave it at that for now. I'm still conducting experiments on how tides affect plant growth rates."

"The specifics will depend on my negotiations with the two Advanced Origin Academies."