Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 525 Sophia the Witch Advances to Second Ring

Inside the Wizard's Hot Spring, Daniel and Locke each soaked in a separate bath. The hot spring water was infused with special herbs, giving it a unique fragrance. The water constantly moisturized their skin and strengthened their bones.

These herbs have powerful purifying and restorative effects.

This wizard's hot spring was jointly established by a potion master and an earth wizard. The potion master was responsible for the herbs, while the earth wizard was responsible for finding the convergence points of earth energy, guiding underground water veins, and artificially creating the hot spring.

Wizard Daniel exhaled a breath of stale air. "Locke, before I came to Golden Crown Mountain in Cloud Marsh Wetlands, I never imagined that a wizard could live like this. Everything is so convenient, everything is so cutting-edge."

"As expected of the land of three marshes."

"Among the fifty-three wizarding lands in the Eastern Boundary, besides the Starfield Sea, the Three Swamps are one of the most prosperous wizarding regions. I have heard that in the Eastern Boundary, only the Land of Dragonfall, the Boundary Between Darkness and Light, the Southern Wizarding Capital, the Siming Waters, and the Central Wizarding Plains can rival the prosperity of the Three Swamps."

"Of course, the biggest advantage of the Three Swamps is that the three wizarding lands are connected by Cloud Lake, making them more prosperous than other wizarding lands of the same level."

Daniel said contentedly as he soaked in the wizard's hot spring.

Locke nodded. He himself had only learned from reading articles these past few days that there were a total of fifty-three wizarding lands in the Eastern Boundary alone.

Of these fifty-three wizarding lands, Starfield Sea is the most prosperous, the most powerful wizarding land in the Eastern Boundary, and also the core area.

However, the Three Swamps are very close to the Starfield Sea, and are also one of the core wizarding regions of the major wizarding lands in the Eastern Boundary. Wizards from other wizarding lands are arriving here in a steady stream.

Of these fifty-three wizarding lands, I had only personally experienced two of them before. The wizarding world I had come into contact with was merely the tip of the iceberg of the wizarding world in the Eastern Boundary.

But in any case, now that he is in one of the core wizarding areas of the Eastern Frontier—Cloud Marsh Wetlands, the world he can see will naturally be much wider.

Locke was hearing about Siming Waters, Southern Witch Capital, and Central Witch Plains for the first time, and it seemed that these three witch capitals were all quite good.

Locke then asked the wizard Daniel about the three wizarding sites.

I had heard of the border between darkness and light and the land of the fallen dragon, and I had even dealt with wizards from the wizarding land there.

As Wizard Daniel soaked in the hot spring, he spread his hands and said, "I'm not entirely sure about the specifics either. The Ocean School, Conjuration School, and Mind School magic of the Siming Waters are very famous, especially the Mind School, which is much more powerful than the Mind School magic of our Fission Plains."

"Many spiritual wizards in the Siming Waters have even put forward many shocking views. I once read an article by a second-ring wizard from the Siming Waters who believed that everything in the world could be changed by the wizard's mind, so everything is determined by one's own mind."

"The world is what you perceive it to be. For example, if you perceive the world to be beautiful, then the world is beautiful; if you perceive it to be ugly, then the world is ugly. All things change according to your mind; if all things remain unchanged, it is because your mind has changed."

"Therefore, there is no need to change the world, only to change one's heart, and the world will change accordingly. Then, he went on to put forward a psychoanalytic hypothesis—that he is the only person in the entire world, and that no other wizards exist."

Locke was completely bewildered. Remembering that Daniel was also a prophet of the spiritual school, he cautiously asked, "This will work?"

Wizard Daniel laughed and said, "The Siming Waters are the most developed region for the School of Mind, which has countless branches. Wizards of the School of Mind are prone to falling into the realm of idealism, so this kind of problem is very likely to occur."

Wizard Daniel hesitated, "Besides, that's an article by a second-circle wizard, so I'm not qualified to judge its right or wrong. Articles from the Mind School should be read very carefully. If we're led astray by them, the author might not care, but we'll be in trouble."

Wizard Daniel said, "Even within my original Tu Qingshan Order Wizarding Academy, there are many psychics who are immersed in their own world, constantly studying themselves... no longer paying attention to the outside world, and ultimately completely refusing to communicate with it. Some wizards even..."

Wizard Daniel's expression turned serious. "This is a challenge for wizards of our school of mind magic. Some mind magicians choose to directly transfer their body and soul into their own minds, hide them, and remain there for life, constantly researching, never to step out again."

"He's good to him personally, but to outside observers, he's trapped in his own mind. You could say he's ceased to exist. In any case, once he hides everything within his mind, we, as outside observers, can no longer find him."

Locke nodded thoughtfully. "The main research area of ​​the Mind School of Magic is the self-mind, so it is indeed easy to fall into this situation."

Locke looked at Wizard Daniel and said, "No wonder you like studying weather science. Compared to spiritual science, weather science is indeed more material and external. Studying weather science may help you to focus some of your attention back on the real world."

Wizard Daniel paused for a moment, then looked at Locke and said, "That's right. Locke, your reaction... is very sharp. You actually guessed why I like weather science."

Wizard Daniel said, "I know very little about the Southern Witch Capital and the Central Witch Plains."

As the wizard Daniel soaked in the hot spring, he asked, "By the way, Locke, I haven't asked you yet, why did you come to Golden Crown Mountain? Was it just to obtain resources and explore a wider world?"

Locke nodded, and said frankly, "Yes, isn't that enough? What about you?"

Wizard Daniel laughed. "Enough, that's enough indeed. You are a truly pure person, and pure people always know their goals and work hard to achieve them."

"I envy you; you can be so pure."

“I’m different from you. I have many ideas, and pursuing my ideals is just one of them. Another is that I want to learn the advanced meteorological knowledge of Yunze Wetland here, and then bring this knowledge back to my hometown, Fission Plains. Although it’s just an ordinary little wizarding land, it is my hometown, and at least it is very special to me personally.”

Wizard Daniel said, "So I really wanted to bring back some truly advanced doctrines, and with that in mind, I came to Mount Golden Crown."

Locke nodded. "I see. You're an idealist with passion, that's good. I just want to go to the Starfield Sea and explore more things."

In the hot spring, Wizard Daniel glanced at Locke in surprise, then said, "The Starfield Sea?"

Wizard Daniel laughed and shook his head, saying, "I really don't want to be called an idealist by someone like you. If you're going to call me an idealist, I think you're the more idealist of the two of us."

"I only dare to dream of coming to the Land of Three Swamps, but you want to go even further. To be honest, of the two of us, you, who want to go to the Star Sea, are more like an idealist."

"That's the Star Domain Sea! There are just too many super geniuses there, countless, as numerous as the stars in the sky, which is why people call it the Star Domain Sea! It's one of the centers of civilization in our wizarding world! I'm already very satisfied that I can study in the Cloud Marsh Wetlands. I don't even dare to dream of the Star Domain Sea."

Wizard Daniel pondered, “However, if you really want to go to the Starfield Sea, the Advanced Academy of Truth is indeed the most suitable stepping stone.” “Moreover, for others, getting two of the three major projects within the Advanced Academy of Truth is enough, but if your goal is the Starfield Sea, then you absolutely must get that Special Grant project.”

Daniel fell into deep thought. “I’ve looked at the list of recipients of the top-tier grant program before; only four people have received it in the past five years. That means you and all the wizards who want to get the top-tier grant program are potential competitors.”

Daniel raised his hands toward Locke. “However, I’m not your competitor. I have no hope for that top-tier grant. I’ll be satisfied with just getting the True Knowledge Institute grant and a sub-project of my advisor’s key research project. Getting those two projects will also get me my postdoctoral certificate.”

Locke nodded slightly. "That's good. Everyone has their own ambitions."

Daniel stared at Locke. "I never expected you to have such great ambitions."

"However, Locke, I have a sincere piece of advice for you: you'd better not tell anyone else in this Institute of True Knowledge that you want to go to the Starfield Sea."

Wizard Daniel paused, then said in a low voice, “I mean well. This will save you a lot of trouble. There are many people here who, like you, want to go to the Starfield Sea, but either they can’t go, or they fled back in panic from the Starfield Sea, or they dare not go. These people have suffered losses in the Starfield Sea, and if you say that you want to go to the Starfield Sea, then they may transfer their hatred to you.”

"Furthermore, neither of us has made a name for ourselves in this Advanced True Knowledge Academy yet. Currently, our ranking is at the bottom, so it's best not to attract too much attention."

Locke nodded, knowing that Wizard Daniel was a kind-hearted and sincere person, and that his suggestion was actually very useful to him.

"I see."

"I……"

Locke looked at his left hand in surprise. He was wearing the clover ring that Sophia had given him on his left ring finger, but now the magical pressure on the ring... had completely changed.

The magical pressure suddenly surged dramatically in an instant, followed by a sudden increase in both its nature and total amount.

Locke felt the magical pressure emanating from the Grass Ring. "Teacher, you've actually broken through to the second ring."

"I knew it. The gap between me and her has not only not narrowed, but has widened. The teacher's progress is just too fast."

Locke raised an eyebrow. Now that's what you call a true genius.

……

In the Starry Sea, inside the laboratory of the fourth-ring wizard Starry Sea Scholar, Sophia's second-ring senior brother applauded as she stepped out of the dimensional gate.

Upon sensing that Sophia's magical pressure was now a level above his own, he couldn't help but smile wryly. "Sophia, you are the most talented witch I have ever met in the Starfield Sea."

"No matter what you do, you complete it so quickly. But I didn't expect that your separation from ultimate magic would become so low right after you broke through to become a second-circle wizard."

Sophia the Witch said modestly, "Senior Brother, there are countless geniuses in the Starfield Sea, what am I to them?"

"I just noticed the separation between myself and the ultimate magic during my breakthrough, and found a way to reduce that separation."

"So, the progress of a second-ring wizard is simply to reduce separation?"

The second-ring wizard's eyes lit up slightly, and he was about to explain, but the witch Sophia shook her head and said to herself, "No, it's impossible to strengthen yourself by reducing the degree of separation. In order to break through the soul limit for the second time, the wizard obtained a magical source. Separation is for breaking through the limit, so it's impossible to strengthen yourself by reducing the degree of separation."

"Therefore, the correct approach is to strengthen my connection with the source of magic, and by strengthening this connection, indirectly reduce the degree of separation, so that this power can ultimately belong entirely to me."

Sofia fell into deep thought, because there were two difficulties in this thought: the first was how to strengthen this connection.

What are the methods, and what will be the forms of expression?
The second is the final outcome: will he truly gain complete control of the source of magic?

The second-ring wizard senior brother gave a wry smile. "No wonder our mentor likes you so much, Sophia. I have never seen such a talented witch. You are like the embodiment of magic. Others are children of the elements, but you are the child of magic."

"You figured out the key point so quickly. But do you know that there are many second-circle wizards outside who have been focusing on the wrong thing, while you, without anyone reminding you, immediately realized the key to the problem right after breaking through."

The second-ring wizard senior brother's attitude towards Sophia witch became respectful and awe-inspiring. He carefully considered his words and tentatively asked, "Sophia, perhaps I'll have to rely on you from now on."

Sophia glanced at him in surprise, then seemed to suddenly remember something. "Senior, isn't our small research group still short of an assistant? Regarding the suggestion to invite my student..."

The second-ring wizard senior brother shook his head and said, "Originally, this was just a small matter. If it were you, Sophia, asking me for help, how could I not try my best? But it's different now. Sophia, you've been advancing and breaking through in the colony planes, so you don't know that the vacant assistant position is already taken."

The second-circle wizard quickly explained that he was now communicating with the witch Sophia on an equal footing, and had even lowered his own status. "It's not that I didn't reserve a place for him, but even a second-circle wizard has very little say in this laboratory. That assistant has connections with a wizard at the initial stage of second-circle cultivation, so he was taken away. You know, I'm just an ordinary second-circle wizard."

Sophia the Witch seemed thoughtful. "Initial forging, that must be the preliminary forging stage... or, following the naming conventions of the Starfield Sea, it's the Star Ring Wizard within the second ring."

"Senior brother, I'm already very grateful to you."

The second-ring wizard senior brother laughed and said, "Judging from how low your separation from your ultimate magic is, you should be close to completing the initial forging of your ultimate magic and becoming a Star Ring Wizard. You'll soon become a Sun Ring Wizard, won't you? Even in the Star Sea, your talent... is extraordinary."

"By the way, you don't need to worry about where your student is. He just joined the Advanced True Knowledge Academy at Jinmian Mountain in Yunze Wetland."

"Naturally, he won the Yunze Cup."

Sophia the witch paused for a moment, then smiled.

(End of this chapter)