Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 438 Eric's Shock
In Eric's office, Eric and Julian were surprised to see the results of Locke's research group's preliminary round of the Yunze Cup.

Eric was puzzled. "Is the Cloud Ze Cup not as difficult as I thought, or is this just a rumor? When wizards from the Six Towers participate in outside competitions, they are usually just there to make up for others."

“No, the Yunze Cup is indeed very difficult,” Julian said. “Based on the difficulty of the Yunze Cup in previous years, the breeders who can pass the third round of the Yunze Cup are all top-notch breeders in the Eastern Boundary.”

Julian quickly flipped through the documents in his hand, then handed them to Eric, saying, "Look, I've investigated the breeders who made it to the second round and into the main competition in previous years, and their fates in the twenty years following the competition. In the end, their worst outcome was becoming a wizard at the first crystallization stage."

"And they hold senior teaching positions in various wizarding lands. And based on past experience, one-third of the wizards who pass the third round of the Cloud Ze Cup have already become second-circle wizards."

"The champion of the Yunze Cup will definitely become a second-circle wizard. There is no doubt about it. It's just a matter of time. Only a very few accidents that cause geniuses to fall will cause them to lose the opportunity to become second-circle wizards."

Julian said, "Of course, Locke Augustin has only just passed the third round, which is the first round of the main event, and he is only ranked sixth in this competition."

"But it also shows that he is indeed a wizard with exceptional talent. I think even our grandfather would have tried to win him over."

Eric muttered to himself. "A second-circle wizard? Exceptionally talented? No, isn't he just Alicia's tool and henchman for making money? Could it be that he's seriously participating in the competition?"

Julian glanced at Eric in surprise. "No, Eric, do you really think that Locke Augustine participated in the Yunze Cup just to make money?"

Eric nodded seriously. "Yes, that's why I want to participate in the Golden Cup. They can make money, so why can't I?"

"But I didn't expect that they really wanted to participate in the competition seriously."

Eric's expression became strange. "No wonder Alicia and that kid get along so well. He has the potential to become a second-circle wizard? He's just catching a rich husband right under the noses of the rich list."

"Damn it, it must be my older sister who instigated this."

Eric's expression suddenly turned strange. "Then he's one of us. No wonder that guy can run rampant within the Plutarch family all day long."

Eric was getting anxious. "Why is it that all the good things go to my older sister, and I never get a chance?"

Julian reminded him, "But Eric, you don't have a daughter either, you only have three sons. And all three of your sons married witches from the Basil family, and even your wife is a witch from the Basil family. There has never been a precedent in your family for marrying a commoner witch or an outsider witch."

"On the contrary, my cousin Lisa's husband is also an ordinary son-in-law from the outside wizarding land. Before coming to our wizarding land, he was just an ordinary formal wizard, but now he is a first-ring crystallization wizard."

Eric's expression changed.

Julian said in a low voice, "If they really succeed in the Yunze Cup, your position in this family will be in jeopardy."

Eric snorted coldly, "I know my limits. The Plutarch family has rules against family feuds."

"As long as the Plutarch family still exists, at worst I will still be a direct descendant of the ruling family here. If the family is gone, I will just be an ordinary first-ring wizard at an ordinary stage."

"So, since that kid really wants to participate in the Yunze Cup, I can't sabotage it. His participation in the Yunze Cup has become a joint investment of our family. If I sabotage it, it will only make me incur public wrath."

Eric pondered.

Julian said, "That's not what I meant. What I meant was, since this is a project we created ourselves, why should it benefit outsiders? Augustine can bring a group of ordinary commoner wizards to the fourth round of the competition, so why can't he bring our family's wizards?"

"Instead of letting outsiders benefit, wouldn't it be better to bring our Plutarch family's next generation of outstanding young wizards to participate in the Yunze Cup? Besides, the funds for his participation in the Yunze Cup are all sponsored by our Plutarch family."

"As the investors, it's perfectly normal for us to ask him to bring a few people. It's the same everywhere; the investors who pay the money are just making some requests."

Eric's eyes lit up. "You mean you want my son and your son to replace two useless commoner wizard apprentices and join their research group to get some experience?"

Julian nodded repeatedly. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. At worst, we'll just pay Augustine to buy two spots for commoner wizard apprentices. It won't affect the main structure of his research group at all. I think he'll definitely agree for the money."

"Otherwise, if they were a research group entirely composed of commoner wizards and won the Yunze Cup, where would we family wizards put our faces?"

Eric's eyes lit up. "That's a good idea."

"I'm not participating in the Golden Cup. How about I become a wizard apprentice in Locke's research group? That should be fine, right? I can save that little blonde girl two million magic stones."

Eric's eyes gleamed as he began to do the math. ...

White Dragon Tower, 20km above the ground floor, in Lisa's home.

Lisa, the first-ring liquefaction witch, looked at her three adult sons beside her with doting eyes. Her eldest son was already an ordinary first-ring wizard, while her other two sons were in their thirties and were still first-class wizard apprentices.

For families like theirs, anyone who wants to become a formal wizard can use the Tide Shark Pearl to partially elementalize their body and become a formal wizard.

However, both of them have the potential to become formal wizards through their own abilities, so they avoid using the Tide Shark Pearl if possible.

Once they use the Tidal Shark Pearl and combine it with True Blood to become semi-elemental bloodline wizards, they will be locked into the first-ring wizard stage for life.

Moreover, they cannot leave the land of the Six Towers. This is because the Tide Pearls require the cooperation of the six Towers to function; if they leave the land of the Six Towers, their bodies will perish.

Sitting next to Lisa was a wizard at the first stage of crystallization, who was Alicia's father, Gregory Nick.

Lisa looked at her two sons and smiled, saying, "Alicia is really useful. Not only has she won Grandfather's trust and favor, but she has also recently sponsored a great project that has actually made it to the fourth round of the Yunze Cup finals."

"That's really something."

Gregory, dressed rather simply among the Plutarchs, smiled affectionately and said, "That's your and my daughter. She's very much like you were when you were young."

Lisa countered, "Are you saying I'm not young anymore?"

Gregory panicked slightly. "No, that's not what I meant. You always misunderstand me. You're even jealous of your own daughter?"

Lisa feigned anger and snorted, then said to her two sons, "You should learn from your sister. Don't spend all your time going out to seek pleasure and changing women faster than you change clothes."

"Even if you're at your worst, learn from your cousin George. At least he recently married a witch from the Basil family. Unlike you two, who have harmed so many witches in the Land of the Six Towers that wizarding families of similar means to us would never marry their daughters to us."

"Second brother, I heard you're getting divorced again? How many is that now? Eight, I guess. I think you shouldn't get married anymore; having a mistress is so much better!"

Gregory, one of only five first-ring crystallized wizards in the Plutarch family, looked furious. He said to his son, "I don't object to you having affairs, but the problem is, don't divorce so many times. You're making me a laughingstock."

“Yesterday when I went out, a wizard from the Basil family asked me about magic and talked to me about your history of seven divorces, and now you’re adding another one. You’re not young anymore, and you have several children.”

Lisa's two sons became timid and hesitant, afraid of angering their two powerful backers at the same time.

Lisa turned to Gregory Nick and revealed her true purpose. “Go talk to Alicia and see if our eldest son, Andrew, could also join that wizard Locke Augustine’s research group. I’ve heard Alicia and Locke are very close, and we’re the financial backers…”

Gregory, who had just taken a sip of water, nearly coughed up. He frowned and decisively refused such a troublesome task. "Then you can talk to her yourself."

"Moreover, I don't think the chances are very high. Think about it yourself. When I first came to your family, I also encountered people trying to put people into my project team. You and I were both very angry at the time."

“Back then we were too weak to refuse, but now Alicia is the acting head of the family, and even I have to obey her orders in principle, and I can’t interfere in family affairs at will. Have you forgotten the contract I signed with the family?”

“I enjoy being supported by my family, so I have to get used to being high and mighty and not interfering in the family’s internal operations.”

“Your family is quite wary of me.”

Lisa thought for a moment and then gave up. "I have no objection to Alicia having a housekeeper, I even support it, and I love my little daughter very much. It's just a pity for our eldest son, Andrew, who is still only an ordinary first-ring wizard."

Lisa gave a wry smile. "It's not that I'm biased, it's just that I also need to plan for my children's future. Alicia's future is no longer my concern, so at least I need to make arrangements for our eldest son."

Gregory stood up, made up a random excuse, and tried to get away from the trouble. "Well, that's good."

"I have things to do in my lab. I have to go now, Lisa."

(End of this chapter)