One month later.

On the wizard ship, Locke had increased his magical pressure from 8100 to 8500. Due to the compression method, the Natural Plane's energy infusion, and the First Circle crystallization stage Three-Eyed Tiger Cat raising his upper limit, Locke's progress speed appeared highly abnormal to other liquefaction stage wizards.

Even for a wizard genius, jumping from 8100 to 8500 would require several years, but Locke had directly skipped past it.

This was the benefit of having the compression method and possessing shortcuts.

At that time, the wizard floating vessel had arrived in the airspace above Cloud Marsh Wetland. Locke looked at the shimmering surface of Cloud Lake below the wizard floating vessel. That Cloud Lake was like a mirror created by nature, reflecting all light back into the sky.

Full of a sense of miracles.

The massive Cloud Lake had the total area of more than a dozen wizard lands, shared by the Three Marsh Lands and Dragon Fall Lands, causing the Three Marsh Lands to be elongated strips—essentially the shores of Cloud Lake.

This floating vessel would dock at a city near Golden Crown Mountain. Therefore, at this time, Locke sat in a seat in the floating vessel's public library. He put down the book in his hand and was chatting with Teacher Halen Vera through the gray stone tablet.

This month's "Southeast" published his article. The problem that had troubled Lilith's Cottage for over five hundred years had finally been resolved. Myst's Power had been proven to truly exist.

Halen Vera raised a glass of wizard wine to Locke and expressed thanks, "Locke, on behalf of all the wizards at Lilith's Cottage, I thank you. Your article proved that Lilith's Cottage's past claims, at least some of them, were correct."

"Myst's Power is indeed a special power formed after stacking and combining three permanent defensive force fields."

Since the floating vessel didn't allow wizard wine, Locke could only substitute with tea, using a cup of Duck Head Tea as a replacement.

Locke took a sip of Duck Head Tea. Immediately, a fragrant aroma lingered on his teeth. Special water elemental tides continuously surged between his tongue and teeth, awakening life energy and producing special sensations.

Those were sensations that mortal tea wouldn't produce.

Then, with his breathing, clear energy circulated in his lungs. The residual potion toxins in his body vanished, and his perception and compatibility with water and wood elements increased somewhat.

Locke said to Halen Vera, "I'm also a wizard from Lilith's Cottage. Being able to do something for my alma mater is what I should do."

Halen Vera smiled. "Your article indeed greatly enhanced Lilith's Cottage's status and reputation in the southeastern quadrant. If you had published this article elsewhere, the effect wouldn't be as good as publishing it in 'Southeast' now."

"'Southeast' is a monthly publication released every month, subscribed to by many wizards in our wizard lands. Your article is also the headline of this issue, so many First Circle wizards in the southeastern quadrant know about Myst's Power and know that Lilith's Cottage masters this power. This is an enormous improvement to our student quality."

"You also know that student quality is key to determining whether a wizard organization can survive in the future and whether it can prosper." Halen Vera said, "Its most deceptive aspect is that student quality won't affect our present, only our future."

"Secondly, the matter of Myst's Power has increased our status with the White Wizard Association. As an academy with special ancient heritage, we can always have some different privileges. Protecting civilization and supporting diverse development has always been a major political correctness at White Wizard headquarters."

Locke nodded.

Halen Vera glanced at the Duck Head Tea in Locke's hand and asked curiously, "Locke, that seems to be a wizard green tea that looks very unique? Just by sensing the changes in your magical pressure, I can tell that's an unparalleled good tea."

Locke was stunned, then said, "Oh, Teacher Haren, this is a Cloud Marsh Wetland specialty that the floating vessel gave me. Golden Crown Mountain that I'm going to seems to be Cloud Marsh Wetland's best high-efficiency agricultural area."

"Golden Crown Mountain has an independent wizard organization called Landbridge. Landbridge's specialty is wizard tea. This is one of their famous teas called Duck Head Tea."

"It's indeed quite good. I've never seen wizard tea that can completely eliminate potion toxicity from my body, restore my life origin, and make me feel unprecedentedly comfortable. It seems to restore something else in me slightly and also slightly improve my perception of wood and water elements."

Perception of other elemental particles was fine, but Duck Head Tea being able to improve his perception of wood elemental particles was somewhat terrifying.

His compatibility with wood elemental composite particles exceeded ordinary Children of Wood by more than double.

After all, as a Nature Guardian, he possessed nature's unreasonable favoritism but Duck Head Tea could still briefly improve his compatibility.

Worthy of being Landbridge's famous wizard tea.

After hearing about Landbridge's reputation, Halen Vera was also stunned. "Landbridge... I have an impression of this too. It's indeed one of the famous tea-producing areas. I just didn't know Landbridge and Golden Crown Mountain had such deep connections."

"Golden Crown Mountain is also very famous in the breeder community. Lilith's Cottage has quite a few excellent magical plant seeds that were also purchased from Golden Crown Mountain."

"Golden Crown Mountain is most skilled at cultivating agricultural-type magical plants."

Halen Vera smiled. "After you've seen the world, don't forget to come back to our mentor group gatherings and tell your senior brothers and sisters about things outside."

"Among the official wizards I've taught, aside from a few wizards like Basil, you're doing the best."

"Cloud Marsh Cup champion, Advanced Origin Academy—these are things ordinary official wizards in the southeastern quadrant wouldn't even dare dream of. In a sense, you've already stood at the apex of those ordinary official wizards staying in the southeastern quadrant."

Locke remembered Wizard Basil was a Second Circle wizard who basically wouldn't come to their mentor group gatherings, but every period of time would have someone bring Teacher Halen Vera a gift.

The wizard world was a society formed by mentor-disciple relationships as bonds, so it extremely valued mentor-disciple relationships.

Locke said, "Of course."

"Teacher Haren."

Halen Vera said, "Also, besides that, Dean Earl Thompson also wants to establish cooperation with you and invite you to join Lilith's Cottage's Myst Origins Research Institute as an external researcher."

"You don't actually need to do anything. They just want to cite your article about Myst's Power."

"We'll send you ten thousand magic stones every month—one magic crystal card. That's twelve magic crystal cards a year. In exchange, you need to answer a few of our questions on the gray stone tablet to a limited extent. It won't take much of your time."

Halen Vera said somewhat helplessly, "Locke, I'm not here as a lobbyist. It's just that as a senior wizard mentor at Lilith's Cottage, I have this position, so I can only try to propose this to you. You can refuse."

"I know that entering Advanced Origin Academy doesn't mean everything is settled. Rather, it's the beginning of an even more difficult learning process."

"So if you find it difficult, you can refuse."

Locke nodded slightly. Clearly, after he published the Myst's Power article, this changed the academy dean of Lilith's Cottage's original view of Forest Sanctuary and Myst's Power.

The other party should want him to help Lilith's Cottage regain Forest Sanctuary and Myst's Power.

However, this matter truly had no conflict of interest for him and even had benefits.

The reason was simple.

Lilith's Cottage was his origin. He could never change this. Anyone looking at his resume could immediately see the fact that he studied at Lilith's Cottage for four years.

If he could enhance Lilith's Cottage's prestige, that was beneficial to him.

So Locke didn't refuse at the first moment but was thinking about its feasibility.

He was no longer a Lilith's Cottage student. Then he needed to establish boundaries with Lilith's Cottage, letting them understand what could be cooperated on with him and what he couldn't be required to do.

This was also what he should do as an official wizard—an adult in the wizard world.

After thinking, Locke said, "Teacher Haren, I know what Dean Earl is thinking. But learning Forest Sanctuary requires enormous capital investment. Just building my own Forest Sanctuary cost me over one million magic stones."

"This money isn't something ordinary official wizards can produce. Secondly, there are still talent requirements. This path isn't suitable for all wizards either."

"But helping my alma mater regain Myst's Power also benefits me. I just have two major requirements."

Halen Vera said, "Locke, please speak."

Halen Vera sighed. "You've really grown up. Talking with you is like talking with a mature official wizard. The atmosphere unconsciously becomes serious. I can feel the independent will in your words. This is very good. If First Circle wizard magic lacks this independent will, it will appear fragile and vulnerable."

"Although I'm also a technical doctrine believer, I believe only wizards with independent will can go further on the path pursuing truth."

Locke nodded. "Teacher Haren, my requirements for the academy are: First, if the academy wants me to help them regain Myst's Power and Forest Sanctuary, they need to prepare to invest large amounts of funds—at least over one million magic stones, and it may still not be enough."

"This is just talking about cultivating one wizard apprentice. If there are more people, even more money is needed. Best be prepared for this."

"Second, I think giving me ten thousand magic stones per month is too little."

"Even if it doesn't take up much of my time, I'm still not satisfied with this monthly salary."

Locke said, "A case is a case, Teacher Haren. You should understand me."

Halen Vera curled his lips and nodded. "Even if you didn't say so, I'm also not satisfied with the price Dean Earl gave."

"This makes my student's time seem cheap. I also won't let you sign a contract at this monthly salary. That would affect my other students' future cooperation with Lilith's Cottage. On this issue, my interests are completely aligned with yours—to have the academy give you more monthly salary as much as possible."

"Thirty thousand magic stones per month. How about that?"

Locke thought for a moment. Although Advanced Origin Academy only gave him twenty thousand per month, the two jobs were different.

Advanced Origin Academy gave him a platform. It was half work, half study.

So giving him twenty thousand magic stones per month was already generous conditions.

If he truly participated in Lilith's Cottage's research institute in an external form, that would be pure work. Moreover, Myst's Power was a very important thing.

If Lilith's Cottage weren't his alma mater, if Forest Sanctuary and Myst's Power weren't originally Lilith's Cottage's things, and if he wanted to enhance his alma mater's status and further improve his resume, he wouldn't even consider this cooperation.

Therefore, after thinking, Locke said, "Teacher Haren, if you give me three magic crystal cards per month, I can accept that."

"Can you give me three magic crystal cards first?"

Locke coughed, somewhat embarrassed. "Honestly, I only have five thousand magic stones left. This is still what I got from selling some of my regular consumable potions."

"Cough cough..."

"I'm really short on money right now. To construct Forest Sanctuary before, I spent all my money."

Halen Vera smiled understandingly. "Going out alone is indeed very difficult, and no one gives you a safety net."

"I can understand you well. As a young First Circle wizard, if you don't stay in the southeastern quadrant, money will indeed be a big problem. After you go to a new place, you'll have even more places needing money."

"I'll immediately send you the magic crystal cards through the local fairy family bank."

Halen Vera said, "If you still don't have enough then, you can borrow from me first."

"Although your teacher doesn't have many savings, I can lend to you first."

Locke was somewhat moved. "Thank you, Teacher. However, rest assured, I'm not that short on money. After I land, I can go to the fairy bank to collect sixty thousand magic stones from Lady Irina's side. I also have cooperation with the Plutarch family in the Land of Six Towers and can collect some money. I'm just a bit short on money recently."

"By the way, Teacher Haren, if I join the Myst Research Center as an external researcher, who is the student the academy needs me to jointly cultivate?"

Halen Vera smiled. "Your previous suggestions were very reasonable. The Myst's Power Reacquisition Plan is just beginning after all. Whether it can succeed is still unknown. Moreover, it also requires special magical plants like the Hydra magical plant, so our academy should only cultivate one wizard apprentice first."

"Hmm... it's your old acquaintance—Albert."

Locke was stunned. "Albert? After all these years, he still hasn't become an official wizard? Three years ago when I just met him, his mana had already reached 800, right? When I left, his mana was 900..."

Halen Vera's image in the gray stone tablet sighed. "Last year and the year before, Albert tried to break through. He failed both times."

"To get two advancement potions, he also spent all his money and connections. Even Lady Morgana is somewhat... disappointed in him."

"But Albert is after all Lilith's Cottage's wizard candidate seed. The academy invested quite a lot of resources in him. As the academy's asset, the academy doesn't want to just abandon him. So finally they gave him one opportunity—to join the Myst's Power Reappearance Plan."

"In exchange, he also signed many contracts with the academy in advance. If he can truly become an official wizard, he'll stay at Lilith's Cottage for life."

Halen Vera said, "Besides sunk cost considerations, currently Albert is also the academy's botany side's first-class wizard apprentice closest to official wizard. Although he's already failed three breakthrough attempts and has little lifespan left to burn, fortunately his talent isn't bad. Each breakthrough failure didn't burn that much lifespan."

"So the academy judges he should have one last breakthrough opportunity. If he fails again, he truly won't have any chances."

"Therefore, this Myst Plan is an opportunity for him and also the last opportunity. Of course, three breakthrough failures also have one benefit—he's really very close to success. It's just that for some reason, he failed all the previous breakthroughs."

"Could say his luck is very bad."

Halen Vera looked and sighed. "Advancing to official wizard is just this difficult. Sometimes, wizards who look like they can completely succeed and will definitely succeed just get stuck at this juncture, forever unable to advance."

"After wasting a lifetime, they can only end in regret and bleakness."

Halen Vera said, "The academy thinks that changing the breakthrough path—for example, abandoning Life Force Field, Oak Armor and other permanent defensive force fields and instead learning Forest Sanctuary—maybe this time he can break through. Honestly, the academy also doesn't know why he can fail every time."

Locke nodded slightly. Sometimes advancing to official wizard was really somewhat mystical.

Mystical meant there was no way to accurately predict the trajectory and conditions of every breakthrough.

Too many related parameters.

So one could only rely on some luck.

Clearly, Lilith's Cottage believed Albert was very close to official wizard but didn't know why he could fail every breakthrough attempt. They truly couldn't give up this fruit within reach. Then at this juncture, he published a Myst's Power article. So Lilith's Cottage decided to optimize their assets and have Albert, this high-quality asset about to be destroyed in value, try using Myst's Power to become a First Circle wizard.

Locke nodded. "Since he's an acquaintance, that makes it easier."

"Teacher Haren, I agree to this. You can send the contract over. I'll contact Albert then."

Halen Vera nodded. "Hmm, alright. This is just a small matter. Your own matters should still be primary. After all, it's just wizard apprentice level small matters."

"Only... Albert is somewhat different from before. You'd best be mentally prepared."

Locke was silent for a moment.

The original Albert was a very optimistic person. After experiencing these successive blows, his personality would probably also undergo enormous changes.

Locke closed the gray stone tablet. At that time, the floating vessel had already arrived near Golden Crown Mountain. Golden Crown Mountain was extremely beautiful.

Golden Crown Mountain was actually composed of four mountains—three small and one large.