Half a month later.

Inside the Cold Ice Mirror room, the entire screen of the Cold Ice Mirror now displayed a three-dimensional image of the natural magic structure component similar to the Royal Lightning Field.

At the same time, the mirror surface flickered and switched the three-dimensional structure diagram at the microscopic level to the three-dimensional structure diagram at the spiritual level.

Locke compared the three three-dimensional structure images of this natural magic structure component, and only from this comparison did he find the reason why this natural magic structure could stimulate the bloodline evolution of magical creatures whose primary compatible attribute was lightning magic.

"If an Evocation School lightning magic sub-direction wizard saw these three images, they could quickly create a completely new lightning magic spell model."

Locke extracted the key structural features of the three three-dimensional diagrams. At the same time, a large pile of documents printed by the magic mirror appeared at the control console.

After finishing all this, Locke looked at his remaining time. He had only used the Cold Ice Mirror for 8 hours. Theoretically, he could use it for another 4 hours before being asked to leave by the mirror spirit.

In that case, there was no need to obediently leave.

Locke placed a new sample into the magic mirror. After the developing potion was dripped in, the sample began rotating within the mirror surface.

This was just a three-dimensional structure observation of an already discovered natural magic structure component. He only needed to find several key characteristic points and record them to prove it was this natural magic structure component.

Therefore, the remaining four hours would be sufficient.

Within this half month, Locke had completed preliminary experimental data for six more types of air bromeliad magical plants' reproductive relationship with magical creatures. Combined with what he'd done in the previous half month, that made a total of nine types.

During this process, Locke had synthesized another bromeliad containing unknown natural magic structure components through synthesis—the Big Black Diamond Swan Bromeliad.

This bromeliad had two types of unknown natural magic structure components inside. One could help a First Circle magical creature called the Black King Goose generate a biological protective layer on its body surface similar to earth element magic.

The other possessed a natural magic component structure similar to a powerful charm spell that increased the mating interest between male and female Black King Geese.

At the current pace, after becoming proficient, he could complete preliminary experiments on the reproductive relationships of nine to twelve bromeliad magical plants with specific magical creatures per month, discovering one to two new natural magic structure components each month.

This speed was already extremely fast, frighteningly so.

Group Six's original speed of discovering unfamiliar natural magic structure components was approximately once every five years.

In other words, approximately one lucky researcher among three cohorts of Group Six researchers in the Origin Academy might discover one unfamiliar natural magic structure component.

Yet Locke, within four months of entering the Origin Academy, had already discovered three types of naturally unknown magic structure components.

Honestly, Locke was somewhat tempted by path dependence, to just continue directly along this path, then frantically publish in the First Circle level tier-one journal "Green Grass Cloud Marsh."

Every newly discovered naturally unknown magic structure component had a chance to be published in "Green Grass Cloud Marsh."

This would make him a regular contributor to "Green Grass Cloud Marsh."

Four hours later, Locke left the Cold Ice Mirror and immediately returned to his workstation in the public laboratory, having Gregor help him organize materials together.

They worked busily for three full days. Locke stretched lazily and stood up from his workstation. He had finally finished writing three things.

One Tier 3 funding closing report, one article about Type 1 natural magic structure similar to the Royal Lightning Field, and one rewritten article about using Myst's Power to accelerate entering the crystallization stage.

The previous article had been continuously rejected by Cloud Marsh and Green Grass Cloud Marsh, so before having empirical evidence, Locke could only temporarily stop submitting to prevent too many rejections from increasing future submission troubles.

But now, he was already a First Circle crystallization stage wizard, so naturally he could submit.

Locke picked up the three documents, about to leave. He turned his head and saw Gregor with dark circles under his eyes, propping up his chin and dozing off.

Gregor Robinson noticed Locke looking at him and was immediately frightened into standing up, hurriedly bowing to Locke. "Teacher, have we finished our work?"

Locke looked at him with puzzlement. "I remember telling you to go back and sleep half a day ago, didn't I?"

Gregor said guiltily, "But I felt that since Teacher hadn't rested, I didn't dare rest."

Locke nodded slightly.

Gregor was a local from Cloud Marsh Wetland who had never traveled far. Moreover, he was a Child of Wood Element. Everything had gone smoothly for him. After just four years of studying magic, he became a First Circle wizard apprentice with mana reaching 700.

Therefore, he was simple-minded, didn't know how to refuse others, and didn't even quite know how to protect his own interests.

That is, this was white wizard society, the extremely orderly Golden Crown Mountain. If this were black wizard lands, he would very easily be exploited completely.

Locke frowned and said, "I'm a First Circle wizard with powerful mental power, so I can work continuously for three days and nights. For me, this isn't anything, but you're only a First Circle wizard apprentice. Going three days without sleep puts too much mental pressure on you."

"Moreover, you've already reached 700 magic pressure. This means you're sprinting to break through to formal wizard. Don't do this kind of thing in the future."

Locke said calmly, "For me, you becoming a formal wizard as soon as possible is most important."

Gregor felt warm inside. "Thank you, Teacher."

"Teacher, you're really kind."

Gregor looked at the documents in Locke's hands and drank a bottle of energy potion, temporarily recovering some energy. "Teacher, let me help you submit these. This way you can go rest."

"You're a First Circle crystallization wizard. Your time is more precious than mine. Let me do these miscellaneous tasks."

Gregor looked at Locke sincerely as he spoke.

Locke shook his head slightly. If someone else spoke like this, he might think they were deliberately trying to please him, but he understood that Gregor didn't have such thoughts.

He was too simple, just believing that students should help teachers like this.

Locke's gaze swept over Gregor with complex emotions.

A student with this personality, if he fell into the hands of formal wizards with even slight ill intent toward him, probably wouldn't gain any benefits.

He would be exploited at will.

This guy wouldn't even slack off on his own.

Wizard apprentices were already in a weak position relative to formal wizards. If they couldn't even learn to slack off, they'd truly be worked to death as tools by formal wizards.

Meeting him was Gregor's fortune.

Locke handed him the three sets of materials while also giving him a bottle of Spirit Spring Soul Surge Potion. The Spirit Spring Soul Surge Potion was a rare restorative medicine even for formal wizards.

The original version of Spirit Spring Soul Surge Potion might be relatively ordinary.

But Locke's improved Spirit Spring Soul Surge Potion formula—Locke had previously compared its effects with the Seven Treasures Jade Flower Potion commonly used by First Circle wizards in Cloud Marsh Wetland and found they each had their merits.

In the area of restoring condition and removing negative status effects, his Spirit Spring Soul Surge Potion was even better.

Gregor was stunned. "Teacher, you gave me the wrong one. This is a First Circle potion."

Locke said, "If I'm giving it to you to drink, just drink it. I'm a potion master. For me, this is just something casually brewed."

Gregor instinctively drank the Spirit Spring Soul Surge Potion. His condition immediately returned to its peak, and much of the potion toxicity in his body was removed.

The potion toxicity within Golden Crown Mountain's First Circle wizard apprentices' bodies was no less than that of apprentices outside, if not more.

After all, the more developed the magical civilization in a region, the more developed potion studies were, and the more potions these apprentices could access.

Otherwise, Gregor wouldn't have achieved 700 magic pressure in just four years.

This speed would be abnormal even at Lilith's Cottage.

Locke himself had taken over five years to reach that achievement back then.

That was because Gregor himself was a Child of Elements, received the best magical education, and could enjoy Golden Crown Mountain's various welfare potions at any time.

But because of this, he had actually accumulated large amounts of potion toxicity in his body.

His original wizard mentor seemingly never reminded him of this, though Locke remembered that Golden Crown Mountain wizard apprentices received a pile of welfare benefits for breakthroughs.

Among them seemed to be some things for removing potion toxicity.

Moreover, Golden Crown Mountain would irregularly issue welfare benefits. That previous concert was one such welfare event.

Unfortunately, when he asked Gregor, no one had notified him to attend, so he missed it.

However, these things were all minor matters to him.

Locke called out to Gregor, who was turning to leave the workstation. "Wait..."

Gregor looked puzzled. "Teacher?"

The next moment, a flame of Primordial Fire fell upon him. Water element magic fire source and fire element magic flames burned on his body.

In an instant, Gregor's entire body caught fire, transforming into a fire person.

This attracted the attention of Witch Mason and another Group Six wizard still working at workstations in this office area.

At the same time, Gregor was frightened, but out of trust in Locke, he actually didn't resist at all.

Soon, Locke reached out and recalled the Primordial Fire back to his palm.

Locke said, "Alright, I've helped you completely clear the potion toxicity from your body. Now, drink this potion."

Gregor foolishly accepted a heart-shaped potion.

This was an improved formula version of Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion that Locke had explored using the Synthesis Cube. Locke named it Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion.

Ordinary Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion wouldn't be effective on Children of Elements, but his improved Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion, when taken ten bottles per month, could raise one's innate talent by 2 grades, so it could have a talent-enhancing effect even on Children of Elements.

Locke estimated that under continuous consumption of Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion, Gregor should be able to possess twice the talent of an ordinary Child of Elements.

However, this way, he would have to spend an additional 1,000 magic stones per month on Gregor and brew ten bottles of Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion each month.

After drinking it, Gregor immediately felt a different change in himself.

Locke said, "From now on, I'll give you ten bottles of Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion each month."

Gregor looked at Locke gratefully. "Thank you, Teacher."

He left with a heart full of gratitude and joy.

At the workstation, after Gregor left, Mason hurriedly asked Locke, "Locke, was that flame you just used the Primordial Fire?"

"I've heard that's something potion masters dream of. You actually have Primordial Fire. Before you came to our Origin Academy, only one Second Circle level potion master in our entire Origin Academy possessed Primordial Fire."

"Moreover, was that the special potion master technique 'Water-Fire Cross-Refinement Method' just now?"

Locke generously admitted it. After all, there was nothing to hide. The wizards in the Origin Academy were all geniuses, one by one.

Among a group of geniuses, he wouldn't stand out no matter what.

Moreover, only ability could make geniuses completely convinced.

Locke said, "Yes, that was Primordial Fire."

The Water-Fire Cross-Refinement Method was something he had practiced and learned while configuring Felix Felicis, or rather, this fire control method itself was required for configuring Felix Felicis.

The Water-Fire Cross-Refinement Method could reconcile core materials with conflicting medicinal properties, and could also cleanse a wizard's body, remove potion toxicity, and strengthen physique.

This special fire control method, even the top-tier First Circle potion masters might not be able to learn, but it was different if one possessed Primordial Fire.

With the help of Primordial Fire, he had mastered the privilege of the top-tier First Circle potion masters—he could use Primordial Fire to purify the potion toxicity within his own body, and could also use Primordial Fire to strengthen his body.

This was a special fire control method that could help First Circle wizards purify potion toxicity. Naturally, clearing the potion toxicity within an apprentice's body was an easy matter.

It was just that few could master it. Without Primordial Fire, many wizards might not master this even after becoming Second Circle potion masters.

This was also one of the difficulties in configuring Felix Felicis.

The eyes of another wizard in the office area flickered. "I'd heard long ago that you're a potion master, Locke, but I didn't expect you to have such achievements in the field of potion studies."

"Almost equal to your achievements in breeding studies."

"Your student is quite fortunate. Having such a powerful potion master as a mentor, his luck is really too good."

Mason smiled and said, "Indeed. I'm not a potion master and don't have Primordial Fire, so I won't proactively remove the potion toxicity from my students' bodies. I still want to find someone to help me remove the residual potion toxicity in my own body."

"Two of my students recently had huge side effects from taking too many potions. Their hands and feet shake when they walk. I heard they're currently seeking to purchase Void Gems to purify the potion toxicity in their bodies."

"Moreover, Golden Crown Mountain issues welfare benefits to students every month. They can be allocated some wizard tea from Landbridge. Even the most ordinary wizard tea from Landbridge is the top-tier wizard tea of the same grade, capable of purifying potion toxicity."

"Hmm, apprentices generally drink Emerald Bamboo White Tea cultivated by tea masters from Landbridge. It's a white tea mixed with green tea. Tea masters are a niche wizard profession split off from the breeder field." The other wizard probed Locke, asking, "However, may I ask, what is the effect of Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion? I haven't heard of this apprentice-level potion before."

"Locke, what is that? Is it a potion from other wizard lands?"

Locke nodded. "Yes. However, it's one I've improved."

He briefly explained its effects.

Witch Mason and the wizard named Newt, who were present, listened with wide eyes.

Continuous monthly consumption could raise wizard talent by 2 grades!

Ordinary Origin Academy wizards also had teaching requirements. They had to teach at least one formal wizard to meet their completion conditions!

This caused the two of them to either think about their own projects every day, think about their own magical level advancement issues, and then also think about how to quickly raise students with potential to 800 magic pressure, then have them drink a bottle of advancement potion in one go.

Locke looked at the two and smiled slightly. "What, do you two want some too?"

Mason and Newt hurriedly nodded.

Newt said, "Locke, money is negotiable. Name your conditions. But I won't deny that I really want it. You know, every day when I look at my stupid students asking me stupid questions, with advancement speeds slower than the stupidest snail, how terrible my mood feels from the stupidity."

"Simply stupid to the extreme!"

"In short, if you have such an excellent improved formula, then I want it too."

Mason hurriedly followed, raising her left hand. "Me too."

Locke thought for a moment. The cost of this potion was just 100 magic stones.

No matter how rare an apprentice-level potion was, the limitation of being apprentice-level and worldly convention limited its price ceiling. He couldn't sell it too expensively.

Selling one bottle for 1,000 magic stones would be very unreasonable and somewhat shameless.

If asking for money, he couldn't possibly get much.

It would also easily offend people.

Therefore, he needed to think about whether to do this business deal.

Newt saw Locke's hesitation. Everyone here was shrewd. He immediately understood the reason for Locke's reluctance and immediately spoke, "I won't purchase with magic stones. I'll only pay cost price with magic stones. I'll use part of my five students' labor as exchange, as long as you give me one set, meaning ten bottles of Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade per month."

"My five students are already familiar with Origin Academy work. Having them do some miscellaneous tasks will absolutely be no problem."

Newt said, "Today is already my fifth year. I meet all other completion conditions, except for issues with students."

"If the student I've placed high hopes in this year doesn't become a formal wizard, then I'll have to delay completion by one year. You also know that at most two delays are allowed, meaning if by then he still hasn't become a formal wizard, then as his mentor... I'll have directly wasted seven years."

Thinking of this, Newt's face turned pale.

He never imagined that as a wizard mentor, after working hard at the front for so long, just when he was about to successfully complete, he would ultimately fall on his six useless students.

Locke's Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion made him see hope.

Locke also realized that there was actually no competitive relationship between himself and Newt anymore, so he could directly use his five students who had already been trained by him for five years.

Mason on the side wanted to speak. She also wanted to offer students, but she suddenly realized this was only her third year entering the Origin Academy.

She herself still lacked students to work.

Thus, realizing that Locke had no interest in trading with her, Mason could only voluntarily keep silent.

Although based on their colleague relationship, plus the fact that she and Locke had become friendly during this time, perhaps she could complete a transaction with Locke by owing him a favor.

But Mason was different from Newt.

She didn't yet have such a strong need for students to quickly advance to formal wizard, so naturally there was no need to spend favors in advance.

Newt said, "However, I wonder if you could use the Water-Fire Cross-Refinement Method to help purify the potion toxicity in that student's body for me."

"He previously took an advancement potion once. Very powerful potion toxicity remains in his body. Although Golden Crown Mountain has many other things that can purify potion toxicity, I've currently spent all my research funding, and he himself has no savings either..."

"Apprentice-level resources are difficult to completely purify potion toxicity."

"Especially in his situation."

Locke nodded slightly. "If that's the case, then this trade can proceed."

After all, using the Water-Fire Cross-Refinement Method to purify the potion toxicity in an apprentice's body, plus configuring ten more bottles of Advanced Weeping Blood Nightshade Potion each month, wasn't a big deal for him.

Thinking carefully, he already had to brew ten bottles per month anyway. When brewing, configuring double the amount of apprentice-level potion didn't consume too much of his time and energy.

A trace of smile appeared on Newt's face. "Then the deal is done."

"I'll go tell my five students now."

Newt had a joy of seeing hope. He was truly afraid of being forced to delay completion because students didn't advance to formal wizard in time.

And if delayed twice and he still had no students who could advance to formal wizard, he would be depressed to death.

Locke left the workstation area and headed to his magical field on the Great Red Mountain Banyan to plant new varieties of bromeliads.

Two weeks later, because Locke newly obtained help from five proficient wizard apprentices, during this time he discovered eight more new reproductive symbiotic relationships between bromeliad magical plants and specific magical creatures.

Now, he had accumulated preliminary experimental data for seventeen types of bromeliad magical plants.

At the same time, Locke had Gregor organize the documents he needed to use and headed to the large round table conference room on the third floor of the Origin Academy castle.

He was going to attend the Origin Academy project funding defense.

After Golden Crown Mountain's Origin Academy project funding closing reports were submitted and passed review, a closing defense was required to have various experts verify the project's completion integrity.

And conduct academic evaluation to see if it had value to expand into higher-level Origin Academy project funding.

At the same time, there were some other functions, such as commercial evaluation, inviting some wizards from Golden Crown Mountain's Shop Alliance to see if they were interested.

Forming a union between industry and academia.

However, under normal circumstances, for just Tier 3 Origin Academy funding projects, even if Shop Alliance wizards came, they would just perfunctorily go through the motions, coming to casually look around.

If Shop Alliance wizards discovered any articles or technology with collaboration value, they would very likely form cooperation with this wizard directly after the defense.