Locke walked out from his dormitory, intending to go to the public laboratory to apply to use the Cold Ice Mirror to analyze the specific compositional characteristics of the special natural magic component structure inside the Big Yellow Duck Crown Bromeliad.

But at this moment, a group of wizards emerged from the castle dormitory corridor. These wizards all wore Golden Crown Mountain's blue-white colored wizard robes, carrying the unique elegant aura of Cloud Marsh Land wizards.

Among the three wizards, the witch was Mason, a First Circle crystallization stage ordinary Origin Academy researcher, also a wizard within Group Six.

Mason had wheat-colored skin, curly hair, full lips, and was also cheerful. During his month-plus at Golden Crown Mountain, Locke had some limited exchanges with her.

But because he was very busy, and there weren't many places where he needed to cooperate with ordinary Origin Academy researchers within Group Six, Locke's relationship with her wasn't even as familiar as with his first friend he'd met at Golden Crown Mountain, Daniel.

Locke nodded slightly to her, originally planning to exchange the usual nod and then leave, but at this moment Mason suddenly called out to Locke, "Augustine."

"Are you going to the laboratory?"

A witch and a male wizard beside Mason looked at her with surprise.

The witch said in a low voice to Mason, "Wizard Kelt shouldn't have invited him. Mason, are you going to meddle? Kelt doesn't seem to like him very much."

Mason looked at Witch Freya and said, "Freya, since when did you care so much about Wizard Kelt's thoughts? Aren't you the one who tells me in my dormitory every day how outrageous Wizard Kelt's personality has been lately?"

Barrett said in a low voice, "I think so too. Since it's Group Six's team building activity, having someone not go makes me feel uncomfortable."

Mason put her hands on her hips, walked in front of Locke, and placed a rectangular ticket before Locke's eyes. "Group Six has a team building activity tonight. We're going to hear the famous bard Witch Mira Siren's concert." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"This is a ticket. You're also a Group Six researcher. Let's go together."

Locke raised his eyebrows strangely. "Concert? Bard? Is it similar to those wizards in the wizard tavern inside that castle at Dragon Blood Market, those wizards in the Illusion School's auditory illusion magic sub-direction?"

"It's just that I have something very important today."

He needed to borrow the Cold Ice Mirror and structure comparison machine to analyze the natural magic structure component of the Big Yellow Duck Crown Bromeliad.

Mason said enthusiastically, "You definitely haven't heard a concert by our Cloud Marsh Wetland's Second Circle wizard bard, that big star. Otherwise you absolutely wouldn't refuse. I just happen to have one extra ticket, otherwise you definitely couldn't buy a ticket to her show."

Mason said, "Come on, what important matter could there be that you can't spare even one second? Believe me, the singing of a Second Circle wizard bard will absolutely bring me the enjoyment of beauty, as well as other enormous benefits."

"This actually counts as Golden Crown Mountain's welfare benefit. That Kelt is really too petty, to actually not even call you."

"You're a newly arrived wizard, and also a Group Six wizard."

Witch Freya behind Mason showed Locke a smile. "We're all Group Six researchers. Come along together."

Locke frowned. It was hard to refuse such earnest hospitality, and since this was a Second Circle wizard bard's singing, it was indeed worth listening to.

This kind of thing didn't exist in other wizard lands.

It would only appear under highly developed magical civilization.

"Alright then." Locke said, "Indeed there's no need to rush things."

Locke placed the Big Yellow Duck Crown air bromeliad into his astral ring.

Mason glanced curiously at that air bromeliad. "Is it some novel variety? Freya and I are both locally born wizards. Barrett comes from Sunshade Peninsula."

"Most wizards in Group Six are locally born wizards, but there are also many wizards from all over."

Barrett proactively said to Locke, "Wizard Locke, hello."

Locke nodded slightly. "Hello, Wizard Barrett."

The four chatted and laughed as they left the Origin Academy's dormitory area.

Because Locke had previously remained secluded doing experiments, the three were full of curiosity about this senior Origin Academy researcher.

Especially since Locke was also a First Circle liquefaction stage wizard.

This made him even more of a topic.

Moreover, Golden Crown Mountain's wizards were all young talents, and with Locke becoming a senior Origin Academy researcher with status above theirs as a First Circle liquefaction stage wizard, it naturally caused everyone to develop some competitive spirit.

They boarded Mason's cloud whale and headed directly to the mountain top.

On Golden Crown Mountain's peak, a large number of constructor wizards had already built an oval-shaped viewing platform structure in an extremely short time.

Large numbers of spherical light clay golems floated in the night, while weather mages created a huge night curtain in the sky, blocking the moon and starlight.

This way, the lights on the concert stage could be more vivid.

Barrett looked at the grand scene before him and said in a deep voice, "I've been at the Origin Academy for three years, and every time I see a concert, I still feel excited."

"Before coming to Cloud Marsh Wetland, I never imagined there could be such interesting things in this world."

Locke glanced at him, not knowing what this so-called interesting matter referred to.

Mason said with a smile, "Never mind you as an outside wizard, even Freya and I, we two have had the habit of watching concerts since childhood, are still moved by those bards' singing."

Witch Freya said, "That's truly the most melodious and pleasant musical sound in the world."

Barrett looked at Locke and said, "Locke, is this also your first time hearing a bard star's singing? By the way, how is your Origin Academy project funding progressing? My Tier 3 Origin Academy project funding is almost complete."

Witch Freya gave him a look. Freya was a fair-skinned, beautiful, very tall witch with a silver bracelet on her arm that seemed to be a magic item.

Freya said, "Barrett, we finally have time to rest. Don't ruin the atmosphere. Tonight, none of us will talk about projects!"

Mason said with a smile, "We're here. We need to get off."

Locke knew that Barrett was deliberately inquiring about his progress, secretly comparing project progress with himself, measuring his own strength and positioning.

The four descended from the cloud whale and entered the audience seating of the arched building. At this time, the sky already had large numbers of wizards riding cloud whales, rainbow sparrows, and even flying magical creatures, even pumpkin hot air balloons, descending toward the audience seats.

At the Origin Academy, within Witch Yekaterina's research group, the Group Six wizards had already come up to greet them. When Wizard Kelt saw everyone had arrived, his gaze fell on Locke for a moment before immediately shifting away, and he said, "Master Mira will begin performing very soon. Everyone please be seated quickly."

"This is a Second Circle star ring stage wizard's concert. If not for our Golden Crown Mountain branch dean's invitation, she might not necessarily be willing to come."

The Second Circle star ring stage was the last stage of Second Circle wizards, which meant that this bard wizard was very close to becoming a Third Circle wizard.

Locke saw that among the audience, besides large numbers of First Circle wizard apprentices, there were also hundreds of formal wizards and dozens of Second Circle wizards.

Even some Third Circle wizards were in attendance.

The scene was quite grand.

Locke followed Mason and the others to sit in the audience seating.

The wizard audience seating was very unique. First, they were stone chairs, and the entire stone chairs floated in midair without touching the ground. Moreover, the stone chairs were very large and actually had Abjuration School protective magic on them.

The eleven formal wizards of Group Six exchanged words with each other. Mason sat right beside Locke, explaining in a low voice the virtual buttons emitting magical radiance on the chair. "These buttons can all deploy defensive arrays and isolate sound. If you want to stop hearing the bard's singing, you can use them."

"The space inside and outside the chair is completely isolated, so whatever we do inside won't affect the outside. You can completely relax and enjoy a private enclosed space at this concert."

Mason lit an incense stick in front of her chair, then closed her eyes to relax and enjoy.

Locke saw that quite a few nearby wizards were either starting to drink wizard wine or wizard tea.

At the same time, the surroundings suddenly became quiet. That was the First Circle magic of the Evocation School that manipulated sound, Silence Curse.

At that moment, the golems floating in midair shone magical lights on the viewing platform.

The host was a First Circle crystallization wizard. He first gave a string of opening remarks, stirring up emotions, then said, "Next, please welcome our Cloud Marsh Wetland's big star, Masters Mira Sisters, to take the stage and perform the new piece they recently composed."

"Remember, Mira is not one person, but sisters!"

Immediately, enthusiastic applause erupted from the viewing platform. Many First Circle wizard apprentices and even formal wizards were very much looking forward to the Mira Sisters' appearance.

At the same time, the spherical golems in the sky began to flash magical lights intensely.

Locke noticed that there seemed to be some staff members of Witch Mira's team. They were all a group of witches wearing work uniforms, recording something on the side.

Locke looked at them with puzzlement.

Mason beside him noticed this scene and immediately stopped conversing with Barrett, instead explaining to Locke in a low voice, "Locke, those are all Witch Mira's students and collaborators. This concert is a rare relaxing enjoyment for us, but for them it's overtime work."

"They need to record the reactions of different audience seats, magic pressure changes, mana fluctuations, to feed back to Master Mira."

"The entire concert is an experimental field for their Illusion School auditory illusion sub-magic direction."

Locke nodded slightly. "Although the bard's laboratory looks very peculiar, all things remain essentially the same."

Mason said with a smile, "But we're just the audience. We only need to enjoy properly."

"This concert is a welfare benefit that Golden Crown Mountain gives us. If we work continuously without stopping, even an iron person would feel tired, so Golden Crown Mountain often gives us wizards benefits like this."

"As for why it's a benefit, you'll know soon. This is a Second Circle star ring wizard's concert. According to the Star Domain Sea's terminology, those two are sun ring wizards."

"How about it, the scene is grand enough, right? I didn't make you come for nothing, did I?"

Locke smiled and said, "Of course."

The Mira Sisters arrived accompanied by beautiful singing. One wore a wizard robe modified from a sky-blue formal gown, elegant and dignified. The other wore a wizard robe modified from black leather clothing, enchanting and changeable.

As the two Second Circle wizards took the stage, the magical lights changed continuously. The Grand Wizard Mira wearing sky blue held a flute, her voice light and transparent, like a breeze through the forest, like gentle drizzling rain, and like bright sunshine.

In an instant, the hearts of all the wizards in the entire venue seemed to see the morning sun. All past fatigue was eliminated, their whole beings immersed in this music.

"Fellow wizards, thank you for coming here to specially listen to our sisters' magic music." The Grand Wizard Mira wearing black leather said, "The following ensemble, Light and Darkness, is for everyone."

The next moment, the Grand Wizard Mira wearing black leather held a guitar and played a rough, rebellious segment, as if it were the seductive night that led people to fall.

This Grand Wizard Mira sang explicit music in a flirtatious, alluring tone. Immediately, all the wizards in the venue felt as if they were in two extremes of ice and fire. The state of mind that had been calm as an ancient well just now became turbulent and restless due to this Grand Wizard Mira's music.

Before Locke's eyes, boundless darkness seemed to appear, and his body was falling.

'Hmm? This is... my five senses are completely controlled?'

'Touch, hearing, sight, taste, and smell.'

Locke thought, 'As expected of a Second Circle Grand Wizard making a move. To actually hypnotize thousands of wizards present using only music. This kind of magical method is truly too terrifying.'

Mason beside him was already covered in sweat.

The Mira wearing black leather suddenly changed from her seductive tone to cursing. The guitar in her hands played chord after chord that made people's heads split with pain and hearts fill with sorrow.

Before everyone's eyes, they seemed to see a torrential rainy night. The heart of every wizard was shrouded in deep and muddy despair.

At the same time, Locke noticed that in the aisles, quite a few of the Mira Sisters' staff members, those witches wearing work uniforms, were observing the magic pressure changes of the audience in the seats and using various instruments for precise measurements, recording it all.

This concert was both entertainment and a large-scale social experiment.

Just as everyone's mood was about to hit rock bottom, suddenly the elder of the Mira Sisters wearing a wizard robe modified from a sky-blue gown opened her mouth, switching to a cello and playing deep, solemn music.

At the same time, she sang in a chanting style, producing that feeling of a goddess descending, the morning sun first appearing.

This voice was like a ray of light in the darkness. Before everyone's eyes, that endless night seemed to show a ray of divine light.

The next moment, that ray of divine light was like a giant axe, splitting open the night.

Then, light and darkness, frivolity and solemnity, instruments and singing blended together. All the wizards in the entire venue fell into the illusion of sometimes daytime, sometimes nighttime.

Sister Mira's singing was like a clear wave that could forcibly calm one's heart, able to restore anyone who was passionate or emotionally collapsed to their original state.

Sister Mira's younger sister's singing was a product that led people to fall, tempting you to indulge in it, to despair forever.

In the continuous changes, the magic pressure of many wizards showed intense reactions.

And Locke unexpectedly discovered that in this abnormal situation, his mana suddenly became active and was rapidly strengthening.

A thought flashed through his mind. 'Is this the welfare benefit Mason mentioned? Could it be that by listening to the songs of these two Second Circle star ring stage wizard masters, I can achieve a mana breakthrough?'

'Is this the power of auditory illusion studies?'

At this time, three staff members of the Mira Sisters, that is, three ordinary First Circle wizards wearing concert work uniforms, quickly walked to Locke's side.

Two staff members set up equipment, such as a magic pressure mass spectrometer, to check Locke's mana fluctuations.

Another staff member examined Locke. "As expected, Mentor Mira's idea is completely correct."

"These two frequency sounds, as long as they can completely control the target wizard's five senses and continuously strengthen them, can develop a wizard's inner potential and activate their latent brain regions."

The staff member operating the mass spectrometer and recording Locke's magic pressure changes said, "However, there's also the reason that this wizard's potential is quite good."

"Look, not all wizards have their inner potential activated. Some wizards don't have their five senses completely controlled by Mentors Mira's illusions."

"And another portion of wizards should have listened to similar concerts too many times. After hearing them too many times, their bodies and souls build resistance to similar illusions."

"Only those listening to a concert for the first time, and who have huge unreleased potential within themselves, will gain the greatest benefits from listening to this Light and Darkness ensemble."

"Bloodlines, special physiques, potions consumed or precious items taken, those all count as potential."

This wizard glanced at Locke and said in surprise, "His magic pressure is still rising?"

"Could it be that he's going to advance to crystallization stage wizard right here? Then this is an absolutely unprecedented observation opportunity."

"As long as we can record it, it will definitely be useful to Mentors Mira."

All three staff members showed intense interest in Locke.

At the same time, Locke himself was already quite proficient in compression methods. At this moment, in the concert's sound illusions, it seemed as if endless mana was being generated internally within his body, causing his soul's upper limit to continuously climb. Immediately following, natural force poured in.

Finally, Locke suspected his magic pressure had reached 8,999, with only one final step remaining from 9,000.