Wizards: Starting with Synthetic Gems

Chapter 739 Catherine the Witch's Temporary Secret Mission
At this moment, Locke finally understood what had happened in the eyes of the many second-ring wizards who had stopped to watch.

The infamous war-mongering wizard of Yunze Wetlands was killed by his own hand, when he had just become a second-circle wizard.

If he weren't the champion of the Silent Grail, this scene would probably have 'frightened and disturbed' some wizards.

At this time, Locke greeted the wizards of the Academic Committee of Mount Golden Crown again and accepted the wizard Chad's invitation to visit the tea garden at Luxu Bridge. He also received a gathering invitation from several ordinary second-ring wizards from the Academic Committee.

After becoming a second-circle wizard, his status naturally rose, and he instantly gained many more friends.

At this moment, Locke sat in the magic carriage and felt the lucky clover ring on his left hand. This ring could connect him with the witch Sophia three times, and he had already used it once.

He could sense through the ring that Sophia's magical pressure was steadily decreasing.

I don't know what happened to Teacher Sophia.

Locke looked at the ring in his left palm, a thoughtful expression on his face. However, the magical pressure transmitted from the other side of the grass ring was very unstable, so he did not dare to contact it directly.

Go back to Golden Crown Mountain first and deal with your wizard shoes. Take advantage of this time to quickly monetize the traffic you've accumulated and convert it into magic stone resources and brand reputation.

At the same time, you can build your own store alliance.

I just don't know how many magic stones a second-circle wizard has to pay as wizard taxes each year.

In addition, I can formally prepare an application for a special grant and try to get Catherine the Witch to give me a key sub-project.

Becoming a second-circle wizard qualifies one to apply for these two programs.

However, I have only just begun to explore the world of second-ring wizards, and there are still many things I don't understand.

I can only learn more about this as soon as I get back.

On the magical carriages, the convoy had just left the mountains and entered a black earth plain. Several powerful mortal kingdoms existed in this region, providing Quinnjoll Academy with special magical mineral resources for generations. At the same time, several Quinnjoll primary schools were also located in this land.

At that moment, Locke suddenly discovered that the witch Catherine had sent him a voice message request.

Locke paused for a moment, then immediately agreed to the voice call request.

The witch Catherine looked at Locke and said, "Locke, you've become a second-circle wizard? That's faster than I expected."

Locke rose from inside the magic carriage and bowed to the witch Catherine. "Yes, teacher."

Catherine the Witch sat in front of her dressing mirror, alone. Her hair was disheveled and fell over her shoulders.

Locke watched this scene with some surprise, because the witch Catherine had a personal hairstylist, but for some reason, he was nowhere to be seen today.

Catherine the witch picked up a comb and began to comb her hair, explaining, "I had that hairdresser do my hair three times today, but I wasn't satisfied each time. I always felt something was missing. Before I knew it, the whole morning had passed, and I hadn't even left this bedroom because of all the back and forth doing my hair."

"In my anger, I told him to leave, and I'm still in the room now, at four o'clock in the afternoon."

Catherine the Witch looked at the magic mirror before her and said, "Locke, my dear student, do you know why this is?"

Locke hesitated for a moment, because he had no idea what Catherine the Witch was thinking.

At this moment, Catherine the Witch sat quietly in her chair, like a lotus emerging from the water, exuding a serene and elegant aura. Her tone was calm, but her words seemed to contain unusual emotions.

Locke said, "Teacher, you are a throne wizard, and your thoughts are unfathomable. As a second-circle wizard, my knowledge is limited, and I cannot fathom your opinions."

"The higher you stand, the farther you can see, but I still cannot see your demonic pressure at this moment."

Indeed, during the first stage of the Ring, Locke viewed the Ekaterina Witch as if she were just an ordinary person.

At this moment, Locke was a second-circle wizard, but in Locke's eyes, the witch Ekaterina still had no magical pressure and was just like an ordinary person.

Locke hesitated for a moment, then said, "If there's anything I can tell, it's that you, teacher, not only didn't exude any magical pressure, but you also didn't leak any spiritual power. It's as if you don't exist in front of me, as if that space doesn't exist."

This was his only improvement.

The only difference we see between the first and second ring stages.

Catherine the Witch curled the corners of her lips, while glancing with slight surprise at the fierce tiger eye on Locke's forehead.

"That eye has impressive pupil power; it could actually see that I didn't have any overflowing spiritual power, as if I didn't exist. Being able to see to this extent means that you have improved a lot compared to when you first entered Golden Crown Mountain."

"The person you are now is someone you used to have to stretch out your head to look up to."

"To see this, your growth rate has somewhat exceeded my expectations. That's good. Locke, my student, your voice is still as pleasant to hear as ever."

Catherine the Witch's expression turned serious.

“Locke, now that you’ve become a second-circle wizard, you can help me with something.”

"Some very useful help."

“You’ve only just become a second-circle wizard, and many wizards on Golden Crown Mountain don’t know your true strength, so you can indeed help me with this. It’s of utmost importance to me.”

“I hadn’t originally thought I could ask you for help, but your speed in becoming a second-circle wizard exceeded my expectations. This is a pleasant surprise. In that case, at this crucial moment, you can serve as a surprise weapon to help me turn the tide.”

The witch Catherine said, "But now that you are a second-circle wizard, you are free to make your own choices. You can choose to help or not to help."

Locke immediately said, "I'll help."

Catherine the witch felt even happier because of Locke's unwavering decision.

"Alright, let me tell you why I'm in a bad mood today."

“My group leader, Esther, has defected, and she has taken several wizards with her. She also took away some of my important research materials by abusing her position.”

Locke was stunned.

Because Esther, the leader, is the Sun Ring Witch, and also Catherine the Witch's right-hand woman and confidante.

When I participated in the defense of the Zhenzhi Institute project grant, I even encountered her as one of my defense judges.

Such a wizard has actually defected?

No wonder my teacher was so upset about it for most of the day!

Locke sat in the magic carriage, bowed and said, "Teacher, Group Leader Esther... no, the witch Esther has actually defected from Golden Crown Mountain. What is her purpose? Of course I would like to bring her back for you, but she is a Sun Ring Wizard, while I am just an ordinary Second Ring Wizard."

“I have tens of thousands more magic pressure than her. I’m afraid even ten of me wouldn’t be of much help in winning her back,” said the witch Catherine. “Don’t underestimate yourself.”

"The reason for her defection is not hard to guess; it's nothing more than dissatisfaction with the allocation of resources. But you've got one thing wrong."

The witch Catherine waved her right hand, and instantly a protective magic enveloped the surroundings, including Locke's magical carriage.

"At this moment, Esther is fleeing the territory of the Golden Crown Mountain region at high speed, while the Sith wizard, the Celtic wizard, and three other Sun Ring wizards are in pursuit of her."

“A third-circle wizard from the Academic Committee has already set off, and we won’t let her leave the Golden Crown Mountain region so easily with this important data. Therefore… I am extremely worried, so worried that I can’t even leave this bedroom. The actions of that third-circle wizard from the Academic Committee have exceeded my expectations. I am very worried about whether Esther can escape to the Rose Council’s territory!”

The witch Catherine said, "I am very worried about this, so I hope you can secretly help her escape from the Golden Crown Mountain region."

Locke was completely bewildered.

No, teacher, your logic is too convoluted.

A brief silence fell between the two.

It took Locke a long time to realize that the witch Catherine had asked him to help the witch Esther escape the Golden Crown region.

This……

Why is that?
Catherine the Witch seemed to have no intention of explaining anything.

She said to Locke, "I was worried, but when I found out that you have become a second-circle wizard, it was like a pillow being delivered to me when I was sleepy."

Locke hesitated for a moment, then said, "Teacher, I can only do my best."

Most importantly, he discovered that nothing had changed; he, an ordinary second-ring wizard, still needed to get involved in the affairs of high-ring wizards.

Although he had some knowledge of the magic of both the Celtic and Sith leaders, and they were both breeders, the Sith leader was a Sun Ring Wizard, while the Celtic leader was just an ordinary second ring Wizard.

If it really came down to a fight, he might not be a match for me.

It's a 50-50 split.

But he was also his creditor, and he felt bad about beating up his creditor since he still owed him money.

The witch Catherine waved her hand and said, "This is..."

A lychee radiating a dazzling light appeared in her hand, which she then placed into the magic mirror in front of her. "This is a rare treasure of the world that I obtained on the new route. If a person consumes it, they will transform into the Shepherd Dragon with the same magical pressure as you within a day."

"After taking it, you will have the complete panel and spell pool corresponding to the Sun Shepherd Dragon. All your spells will have a Sun Shepherd Dragon skin, and your Evolution Moon will become a dragon fireball herded by the Sun Shepherd Dragon."

"In this state, even if you suffer a fatal injury and die, only the Shepherd Dragon will die, and you will be completely unharmed."

"Well, you've consumed this Dragon Devouring Seed and gained a new spell pool and stat panel. Although you can't keep it afterward, it will broaden your horizons and let you see the power systems of other planes, as well as the power of a branch of the second-ring dragon race. It will benefit you as well."

At that moment, the dragon-devouring monster mysteriously passed through Catherine the Witch's magic mirror and came to stand before him.

Locke suspected that the witch Catherine might be even more skilled in magic related to the magic mirror than he was, but he had no proof.

At this moment, Locke took the lychee that was floating in mid-air. "Okay, teacher."

He peeled back the skin of the lychee, and inside appeared a crystal-clear lychee fruit, like a small dragon pearl.

Locke swallowed it, and the next moment, a magic mirror appeared in front of him.

The magic mirror reflected a mirror image of himself, with the same magical pressure. The image sat obediently beside him, staring straight ahead. If it hadn't remained motionless, Locke would have thought that the witch Catherine had copied him.

The witch Catherine said, "This is an illusionary clone of you that I have made. It cannot move or speak, but it doesn't matter if it's just about riding in a magic carriage."

"His demonic pressure is exactly the same as yours, and no one can see the flaw."

Locke glanced at the witch Catherine and wondered if his teacher had planned ahead for him to ride in the magic carriage.

No, the other party probably doesn't know that he will directly advance to the second-circle wizard level in the business competition of the shop alliance.

It might just be a coincidence.

The witch Catherine pointed to the magic mirror in front of him and said, "Entering it will teleport you to Esther's vicinity. Remember to bring the Angel's Tear artifact I gave you; it will shield you from many prophetic spells. You must not let Esther or any of the wizards on Mount Golden Crown realize that this dragon is you."

Locke nodded with a wry smile. He hadn't expected that he would just become a second-circle wizard and then be removed from the category of wizards who were not very useful, and become a wizard who was useful to the witch Catherine. Then he was assigned to this role.

Of course, from a certain perspective, this also means that one's social class has risen.

Previously, she could only study and conduct research within the Institute of True Knowledge, and Catherine the Witch had never given herself such an order in her previous operations.

In an instant, Locke's body transformed into a giant dragon covered in flame-like scales. He stepped forward, and the next moment, Locke left the magic carriage and appeared thousands of miles away.

He descended from the sky like a rising sun, golden flames bursting from every dragon scale on his body, his breath carrying intense sparks.

At the same time, Locke noticed that, good heavens, he had fallen directly into the Dragon Mountains, a formidable land bordering the Golden Crown Mountain region, near its edge.

A massive Atlas dragon mountain range appeared below them, inhabited by a large number of dragon-like creatures, primarily wyverns, as well as so-called dragon pits. These dragon pits were typically filled with sulfurous oceans, containing dragon eggs, baby dragons, and adult wyverns.

In short, it is extremely dangerous.

Once Locke's magical pressure appeared, it was as if the king of dragons had descended upon this place.

Suddenly, numerous flying dragons rose from the mountains.

Esther, with blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, was surrounded by numerous wizards when she saw the dragon horde caused by the Shepherd Dragon and her eyes lit up slightly.

There is always a way out.

Unexpectedly, at this crucial moment, she was so lucky that she encountered a Shepherd Dragon lurking on the outskirts of the Dragon Mountain Range!
The Shepherd Dragon is a second-ring level dragon. Although it is a bit weak, it can still be considered the king of dragons. At this moment, it has triggered a dragon calamity.

This was her chance to escape.

Meanwhile, the Sith wizard's expression changed drastically. "How could it be such a coincidence that a Sun-Shepherd Dragon is actually on the outskirts of the Atlas Mountains?"

Fear flashed in the Celtic wizard's eyes as he saw a swarm of dragons that blotted out the sky, their roars echoing through the air.

"Dragon Disaster..."

(End of this chapter)