Three days later, Locke walked out from the Electromagnetic Mirror room. Looking at the sunlight that seemed like yesterday, he gently exhaled a breath of turbid air.

Honestly speaking, the feeling of waiting to use Third Circle magic artifacts really couldn't be considered too pleasant.

To analyze the characteristics of one natural magic structure component, he had spent these three days continuously in the public laboratory, rotating between the three great mirror rooms.

For an instant, Locke had even thought about how wonderful it would be if he owned the three great Third Circle magic artifacts completely, belonging entirely to him, able to use them every day without restrictions.

However, for now, this could only remain a thought in his mind.

Locke contemplated, "The three great mirrors all need to be used about three more times before I can completely determine the type of the completely new natural magic structure component inside the Big Yellow Duck Crown Bromeliad I cultivated."

Each use of a Third Circle mirror actually required a fee of 20,000 magic stones.

And this price was just the internal rate.

After all, just operating a Third Circle mirror once required enormous consumption.

However, everyone had funding support from Origin Academy project funding issued by the White Wizard Association, so everyone could still afford this money.

"Previously, I wanted to use the 300,000 magic stones from the Tier 3 funding support to conduct several more experiments. Who would have known that just determining one completely new natural magic structure component would actually require spending 240,000 magic stones of it?"

Locke said, "Money really doesn't last long."

"During the time waiting for opportunities to use the three great mirrors, I'll first complete my research on the symbiotic relationships between my four bromeliads—Big Black Diamond Bromeliad, Blue Swan Bromeliad, White Pearl Bromeliad, and Big Yellow Duck Bromeliad—with four specific types of bird magical creatures."

"Doing these four projects also requires using the structure comparison machine and Cold Ice Mirror. That means I need to use the Cold Ice Mirror four more times and pay 80,000 magic stones."

"Adding in the use of the structure comparison machine and other miscellaneous expenses, completing this project will cost at least 400,000 magic stones."

Locke felt somewhat speechless. Because he wasn't familiar with the three great mirrors, he had miscalculated the funding required for his current project.

As a result, the 300,000 magic stones issued by the academy not only couldn't cover completing this project, but he actually had to contribute an additional 100,000 magic stones himself.

Fortunately, he still had some savings.

Currently, he had 570,000 magic stones in savings.

He could completely draw out 200,000 magic stones from them to fill the funding gap for the project he was doing. He'd use 100,000 magic stones to complete the research on the four bromeliads.

Then take out another 100,000 magic stones to cultivate more bromeliad magical plants and conduct synthesis. Using the apprentice exploration reports Golden Crown Mountain provided him, he could discover more symbiotic relationships between bromeliad magical plants and magical creatures to quickly obtain Tier 2 Origin Academy project funding.

Since this direction was working well, he'd just keep going down this path.

Keep going all the way up to Tier 1 Origin Academy project funding, even special funding projects. After all, he had currently summarized a set of methods that, relying on the Synthesis Cube, could quickly analyze symbiotic magical plants and even rapidly discover completely new natural magic structure components within magical plants.

His second step was to use the Big Yellow Duck Crown Bromeliad as a foundation to further find more completely new natural magic structure components inside bromeliad magical plants.

This meant Locke needed to read more information about bromeliad-type magical plants.

Locke walked toward his dormitory. "Although experiments are very busy, I can't neglect my meditation work."

"I still need to quickly raise my magic pressure to 9,999. This way I can reach... the second racial soul limit."

"Speaking of which, the inexplicable gazes I've been feeling recently are becoming more and more frequent. I still need to quickly take advantage of the group meeting to meet with Witch Yekaterina and ask her what that special plane actually is."

When Locke returned to his dormitory, he encountered Daniel.

After the two greeted each other, Locke said to him, "My Tier 3 Origin Academy project funding has already gotten on track."

"How about you? Have you made progress?"

Daniel smiled and said, "I've made progress on my end too. By continuously recording the mist on different tree-type magical plant canopies, I noticed that in weather studies, mist is a special symbol of natural state."

"Different forms of mist can reflect subtle differences in the spirituality of the air in that region. In short, I've truly had a breakthrough."

Daniel looked completely different from his previous confused state. "I also need to thank you, Locke. You previously reminded me to find practical applications in the process of pursuing abstract matters."

"Not only do I have the possibility of completing Tier 3 funding, but I also have ideas for continuing to apply for Tier 2 Origin Academy funding. I believe magical creatures and magical plants all affect the spirituality of a natural region, thereby affecting the mist forms in that region."

Daniel said, "In other words, I believe that using this mechanism, through mist changes in weather studies, we can understand what has happened locally."

"Of course, so far, this is only a preliminary idea of mine and hasn't completely taken shape."

"I believe this mist-spirituality change mechanism can also be used to find the locations of special magical creatures, special magical plants, and special magic ore. It could even be added to the weather systems I've designed, making my weather systems more complex and variable with greater flexibility."

Daniel sighed and said, "A month ago, I fell into confusion, thinking I had changed from a weather chief engineer into a small screw. But a month later, I discovered that from that seemingly simple repetitive work, I absorbed nutrients, my wisdom was strengthened, and my foundation became more solid."

"Then naturally, the upper limit of the weather systems I design can also be raised."

Daniel said, "Now my view of Golden Crown Mountain has changed again. The learning at Golden Crown Mountain can truly realize those crazy designs in my mind."

Locke nodded slightly. "That's good then. It seems we two have both adapted to Golden Crown Mountain."

Daniel smiled and said, "Adapting to this place is indeed not too easy. Everything here is different from the wizard lands we were in before. This place is truly too unique."

Locke glanced at Daniel. Daniel truly deserved to be a senior Origin Academy researcher and also the weather studies champion of the Three Marshes Cup.

He himself, relying on the Synthesis Cube, could quickly discover symbiotic relationships between magical plants and magical creatures, and further had confidence in turning the discovery of new natural magic structure components into an assembly line.

But Daniel, relying solely on himself, discovered the relationship between mist and the spirituality of all things from the process of repeatedly recording mist structures. He further explored the potential of this mechanism and found various directions that could be developed.

In a sense, this Origin Academy truly gathered countless super geniuses.

Especially those researchers in the senior Origin Academy—not one of them was a simple character.

Locke asked, "By the way, Daniel, did you go listen to the Grand Wizard Mira Sisters' songs a few days ago?"

Daniel looked strange. "Songs? What songs? Golden Crown Mountain wizards are all so competitive. How could everyone possibly have time to listen to any songs? I definitely didn't listen."

Locke: "..."

He had clearly seen the researchers from Daniel's group enjoying music in the audience seats that night.

Alright, it seemed he wasn't the only one being excluded.

Daniel obviously had no idea that a few days ago, Golden Crown Mountain had held a team building welfare event.

Locke explained a bit. Daniel's face turned green with anger, especially when he heard that Locke had advanced to become a crystallization stage wizard during that concert.

Daniel said angrily, "That's too much. When it comes to working, they all ask me for help, but when it comes to team building, only I wasn't called."

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even know about this."

Daniel thought about it and trembled with anger. "In the past three days, those people couldn't finish their own work and asked me for help, and I helped enthusiastically."

"It's simply absurd."

"I was even happy for quite a while because they shared an energy potion with me. I thought the atmosphere in our group was very good and everyone was a good person."

"Why didn't anyone in my group call me!"

Daniel showed a puzzled expression. "I'm clearly so enthusiastic."

Locke held his forehead. Alright, this was simply tragic.

Locke exchanged a few more words with him, then walked into his own room. At the same time, he sensed someone contacting him through the gray stone tablet.

Locke summoned the gray stone tablet and discovered it was Albert contacting him. At the same time, Albert sent him the detection records from the magic pressure mass spectrometer.

Locke looked at the pattern displayed on the magic pressure mass spectrometer and frowned. Normal magic pressure mass spectrometer detection results must be a continuous line, representing the continuity of this wizard's mana.

But on the mass spectrometer before his eyes were a series of breakpoints, many disconnected lines, and these lines were high and low, not continuous.

This scene proved that there truly was a foreign object inside Albert's soul.

Albert applied to him for image dialogue. After Locke agreed, Albert asked Locke somewhat anxiously, "Locke, how is it? Can it be confirmed?"

"Mentor Halen Vera and Lady Morgana both say my magic pressure is indeed abnormal."

Locke said, "Yes, it's confirmed. There is a foreign object inside your soul. Your magic pressure spectrum shows that inside your soul are two types of magic pressure with quite different natures."

"One is your magic pressure spectrum. The other is that disc being's. The magic pressure spectrum can relatively accurately describe the magic pressure nature of an individual life form. I can use this spectrum to lock onto the general identity of that disc being."

Locke flipped through the books he had borrowed from the library's free access area. "Found it. The earth wizards of Cloud Marsh Wetland did indeed record this disc being's magic pressure."

Disc beings were collective life forms, not the same as dispersed life forms like humans. In other words, one disc being life form was itself and also its own race.

Therefore, for a disc being to fully enter the main material plane, it was impossible to occupy only one organism's body. It must occupy at least an entire race of organisms.

Therefore, the earth wizards of Cloud Marsh Wetland naturally might have captured the magic pressure of the disc being invading the southeastern quadrant, because the disc being invading the southeastern quadrant wouldn't only enter the wizard world through one life form at one location.

Locke looked at the records and frowned. "The situation is worse than I thought."

"The other party is an existence equivalent to a Second Circle star ring wizard level, the disc being Gromdar."

Locke complained, "You differ from it by eight major levels."

Albert showed a bitter smile.

He hadn't even become a formal wizard yet, yet he was soul-invaded by a wisp of split soul from a Second Circle level existence.

This was truly too unfortunate.

Locke flipped through the magic book and said, "According to this magic book's records, Gromdar is suspected to be the resentment formed from grasslands being destroyed for long periods. In a geological-level disaster that even the earth wizards of Cloud Marsh Wetland couldn't completely determine, a grassland that had been damaged for a long time due to the disaster, while permanently in the process of elemental fission, produced extreme-state natural forces. Then over an even longer time, and in a bit of misfortune that still cannot be determined, the disc being Gromdar was born."

"Gromdar represents 'grassland covered by inorganic matter.' It's one of the most active disc beings, very eager to return to the wizard world. Moreover... Gromdar itself was born in the southeastern quadrant wizard lands of the wizard world, according to research."

Albert said strangely, "But the southeastern quadrant is continuous coastal terrain. There are no grasslands."

Locke shook his head slightly. "In ancient eras, the terrain and phenomena of the wizard world were not similar. There wasn't even a southeastern quadrant back then. The earth wizards of Cloud Marsh Wetland used special methods and research to conclude that Gromdar originated from the southeastern quadrant."

"This project was done by the Earth Wizard Academy of Quinn Jol Prophecy Secret Arts University, one of the seven top universities in Cloud Marsh Wetland."

"It took fifteen years before they ascertained Gromdar's origins. Your luck is good, Albert." Locke scanned the information and said, "Quinn Jol Prophecy Secret Arts University's two most powerful magic categories are future prophecy from the Divination School and earth wizards from the Life School."

"The information here shows that offerings can be made to Gromdar to make it give up its parasitism of you."

Locke said, "Gromdar is nature that has been covered by inorganic matter for long periods, thus producing extreme hatred toward life forms and this world. The twisted it both hates life forms and hates our world. It envies grasslands yet detests grasslands. So if you can offer it sacrifices of some Second Circle level grassland creatures, perhaps it will let you go."

The trace of hope that had just appeared in Albert's eyes dimmed again. "Second Circle grassland creatures?"

Locke said, "It doesn't necessarily have to be creatures. You just need some biological materials from some Second Circle level grassland creatures, such as horns, or even just a tiny bit of fur. Then have a First Circle crystallization wizard perform a ritual magic for you, communicate with Gromdar, and ask it to let you go."

Albert said, "It parasitized me and made me lose so much. I still need to perform ritual magic to please it?"

"Moreover, even the cheapest Second Circle magical creature materials, Locke, you also know, that's not something I can afford to buy."

Locke looked at the information and frowned. "I previously stopped Gromdar from descending along with the Blood Master's curse magic. From this perspective, that Blood Master fellow was completely deceived by Gromdar."

"Looking at it this way, Gromdar should also remember me."

The information showed that Gromdar would use various methods to deceive organisms on the main material plane into actively summoning it. It might be by helping this person take revenge, or disguising itself as a magical breakthrough that would move certain wizards.

In short, this thing was a cunning fraudster with an already terrible reputation, heavily guarded against by Cloud Marsh Wetland wizards.

According to the information, there was once a Life School First Circle crystallization wizard from Cloud Marsh Wetland who, while exploring a colonial plane, discovered a brand new life form disguised by Gromdar—an unknown life form composed entirely of energy.

That First Circle crystallization wizard was so excited at the time that he immediately grabbed this unknown life form, planning to thoroughly explore it after returning to see which known energy life form it was close to, whether it was a variant of some energy life form.

Who could have imagined that it was actually a transformed disguise of Gromdar's split body?

Thinking about it now, that Blood Master fellow clearly fell for Gromdar's scheme, which is why he brought this thing to the main material plane.

If the Blood Master had continued his research at that time instead of going to war with the White Wizard Association of the southeastern quadrant, this bomb would have eventually exploded in his own hands. He was just lucky later that this bomb exploded at Lilith's Cottage instead.

Locke said, "However, the problem isn't major. As long as I become a Second Circle wizard, even if Gromdar remembers me for a thousand years or ten thousand years, I'll just let it."

It wouldn't have any impact on him.

Locke looked at Albert and said, "I have a new hypothesis. Not using ritual magic to negotiate with Gromdar is also fine. Gromdar is a twisted grassland covered by inorganic matter for long periods, naturally hostile to normal natural phenomena."

"If you can transform yourself into a natural ecology, perhaps it will retreat on its own."

"Of course, there's no rush with this. After all, I've already confirmed that you can use Forest Sanctuary to become a formal wizard."

Locke said, "Moreover, only by becoming a strong, sufficiently mature forest can you make Gromdar retreat on its own. Otherwise, you're just angering it, which won't benefit you."

Albert asked, "Locke, how powerful a forest is needed to make that... Gromdar... leave my soul?"

When Albert said this, he felt a stirring from the depths of his soul, as if some traveler who hadn't returned home for a long time suddenly heard of their homeland.

But Albert's expression was serious, because this was definitely not his feeling, but the feeling of the part of Gromdar residing inside his soul.

Locke said, "At least Second Circle."

"At least equivalent to a Second Circle wizard's magic pressure." Locke said, "So at least it must be a forest with Second Circle level magical plants, at least one or more Second Circle level tree-type magical plants."

"But you don't need to be anxious or discouraged yet. Within Forest Sanctuary magic, there's a special method that can connect forests together, forming superior-subordinate relationships."

"This magic has a name—Forest Alliance. It makes one wizard's Forest Sanctuary become an affiliated forest of another wizard's Forest Sanctuary."

"This way, multiple wizards using Forest Sanctuary as their permanent defensive field form an alliance, they can form forest clusters with relationships between top-level forests and ordinary forests."

Locke looked at Albert and said, "But if I can become a Second Circle wizard and my forest transforms into a Second Circle forest, then you can use Forest Alliance magic to join my forest cluster. In this way, you should be able to resist Gromdar."

"First, you need to become a First Circle wizard."

Albert's eyes widened. "Really? If that's the case, I'm willing. First, Locke, you were originally a reliable wizard and also my friend. Moreover, being able to form a forest cluster with a Second Circle wizard is my honor."

Locke nodded slightly.

This matter also had benefits for him.

If Albert became a formal wizard and added his Forest Sanctuary to his forest cluster, it could increase the total biological quantity of his forest out of thin air.

At the same time, it would form more complex forest relationships, closer to nature itself.

Originally, he would need to form this kind of complex bond with many Forest Sanctuary wizards in the future, becoming another kind of de facto Forest Lord.

Of course, what Locke concealed from Albert was that Forest Alliance magic was just an idea from Dean Lewis, not completed, only having a prototype, a framework.

It was just that Locke was confident he could perfect this magic.

Locke gave Albert some instructions, guiding him to plant his own Forest Sanctuary within Lilith's Cottage territory.

Then he dismissed the gray stone tablet's summon and walked into his study to begin contemplating.

Forest Alliance was clearly Second Circle level magic, so back then Dean Lewis's concept was also just a concept.

But this was truly a brilliant framework that he could complete on his path to becoming a Second Circle wizard.

Once completed, his Forest Sanctuary would be strengthened unprecedentedly.

For him, perhaps the more wizards who learned Forest Sanctuary, the better.

If he could gain the loyalty of many First Circle wizards' Forest Sanctuaries, his forest would become the "Forest of Crown Groups" in Lewis's vision!

Locke tapped the table with his fingers. "Thinking carefully, I'm still somewhat crazy. A First Circle wizard already thinking about this."

"I don't know if it can succeed."