528: Two Different Evolutionary Paths
The Celtic Wizard led Locke to a filing area within the laboratory, where documents with special markings were scattered across the tables.
The Celtic Wizard said, "These materials were all prepared by the researchers and research assistants of our Group Six, and they have been working on this for over a hundred years. We likely possess the largest collection of research data in the Yunze Wetland regarding the relationship between the natural magic structural components of magic plants and the fertility of magic creatures."
"Each bundle of documents here corresponds to the research and analysis of a specific magic plant's effect on the reproductive capacity of magic creatures."
The Celtic Wizard said confidently, "I dare say that before this, you completely underestimated the extent to which plants influence biological fertility. But all of this follows a traceable pattern."
The Celtic Wizard continued, "In the long process of natural evolution, plants and animals chose two completely different evolutionary paths—staying stationary versus migrating everywhere."
"Setting aside which evolutionary path is right or wrong, superior or inferior—as that is the research direction of other research groups—the key is that in the process of evolution, plants and animals learned to help each other and compensate for each other's weaknesses."
Although the Celtic Wizard had many grievances against Locke, because Witch Yekaterina had chosen him to join the project team, he could only follow the procedures to avoid any faults being found. He introduced Group Six's field of research and helped the new researcher quickly get up to speed with the workflow.
Otherwise, given Witch Yekaterina's personality, he would certainly have to bear the consequences.
Within Witch Yekaterina's six large research groups, even if they exerted all their strength, they might not necessarily satisfy her, let alone trying to cause trouble within them.
Such a thing was absolutely impossible to happen.
The Celtic Wizard was merely dissatisfied that Locke was only a First Ring Liquefaction Stage wizard.
The Celtic Wizard continued, "There is a very simple piece of common sense: the higher the magic level of a magic creature, the weaker its reproductive capacity."
"Therefore, logically speaking, magic creatures at the First Ring stage should have absolutely no possibility of natural reproduction in a natural environment."
The Celtic Wizard said, "But that is not the case. First Ring magic creatures utilize the convenience of those One-Ring Magic Plants. By forming symbiotic relationships with certain magic plants in the natural environment, they gain the possibility of increased fertility."
"This is the beautiful history of natural co-evolution. The reason plants bestow such favors upon magic creatures is also very simple: because plants cannot move, they need magic creatures to carry their seeds and pollen everywhere, and they need magic creatures to bring them special resources from afar that are not available locally. Therefore, many magic plants in nature produce fruits that provide immense benefits to biological organisms when consumed, in order to attract those magic creatures to approach them."
"This is a little trick played by the plants."
Locke immediately thought of the twelve special types of peaches on Golden Crown Mountain, as well as the mouth-watering water jade peach.
Clearly, the water jade peach also utilized this plant-animal coexistence mechanism found in nature to achieve special effects that even rare magic potions could not reach, and with almost no side effects.
This was essentially an active temptation for certain creatures in nature to swallow that kind of fruit.
The Celtic Wizard said, "Our Group Six is responsible for identifying which magic plants form special symbiotic relationships with specific biological species."
"We first select the approximate species and then begin verifying whether the magic plant has an enhancing or diminishing effect on the fertility of a certain magic creature, and identify one to several key natural magic structural components. For a hundred years, countless True Knowledge Institute researchers have completed their True Knowledge Institute Foundation Projects by discovering the impact of a magic plant on the fertility of specific species."
"And successfully obtained their Exit Certificates."
The Celtic Wizard pointed to the stack of tables and the documents on specific tables, saying, "That pile of documents contains the data on magic plants that the First-Class Wizard Apprentices of Golden Crown Mountain found in the Yunze Wetland and its various colonial Planes, which might influence the fertility of specific magic creature species."
"Of course, with the low abilities of those apprentices, they only made some preliminary observations. They are full of fallacies and erroneous observations, so the real research must be completed by us Formal Wizards."
The Celtic Wizard said, "To write a foundation project application, you need to conduct preliminary experiments and use the experimental results to prove that a magic plant indeed has a correlation with the fertility of a specific species."
"Furthermore, it is best if you can roughly determine this component; only then is your project application likely to be approved."
"Your current task is to gather inspiration from these experimental reports written by the apprentices, find the truly useful parts, lock onto a specific magic plant-magic creature relationship, and confirm exactly which natural magic structural component plays the key role through the Natural Magic Structural Component Comparison Device and your own analytical skills."
"Or multiple components."
The Celtic Wizard murmured to himself, "Most discoveries are actually just identifying natural magic structural components that have already been thoroughly researched. After all, this experiment has been going on for a hundred years, and every year in the past, a large number of newly enrolled researchers have joined our project."
"If you have a unique perspective, perhaps you can find new uses for old natural magic structural components; that would be even better."
The Celtic Wizard said, "Of course, if your luck is even better and you discover a new natural magic structural component..."
"Never mind, there's no need to say it." The Celtic Wizard shook his head slightly and said, "If you could really discover such a thing, let alone a small True Knowledge Institute Foundation Project, you could directly publish in a first district journal."
"But this is truly a test of your luck and eyesight."
"You should stay grounded."
The Celtic Wizard tossed Locke a manual for the [Natural Magic Structural Component Comparison Device].
Locke flipped through it and found that it was an ultra-large device.
Its main function was that a Formal Wizard could operate this extremely expensive, ultra-large Breeding Science equipment to use a magic magnetic field to cut a magic plant and extract all the components within the mixed liquid.
Then, these components would be placed into a large Columnar Elemental Separation Device.
Because natural magic structural components are composed of composite element particles, their natural density, weight, and so on are different. Thus, they can be separated one by one according to their different properties through the Columnar Elemental Separation Device, recorded, and then compared one by one with the natural magic structural component data in the database. By seeing which data they match, one can find out roughly which natural magic structural components are present in the magic plant.
Overall, this set of equipment, worth over ten million, was something that ordinary wizards could not afford.
Its main function was to analyze the quantity and types of natural magic structural components within a magic plant.
At the same time, the Celtic Wizard tossed Locke another manual for a device: the ice magic mirror.
This was even more advanced Senior Breeder equipment.
The minimum price was thirty million magic stones.
Using the matching Manifestation Potion and placing it on a slice of the magic plant, one could observe closely and obtain the rough structure of the natural magic structural component a wizard desired.
These two pieces of equipment alone were things Locke could absolutely never have access to in the Six Towers Land.
As Locke walked along, he observed the public laboratory slightly and could see a large amount of advanced Breeding Science experimental equipment.
All of them were things that ordinary wizards from the outside world could not even dream of touching.
It wasn't just a matter of money, but also purchase channels, maintenance channels, repair costs, and consumable costs, among other issues.
Those were things that Breeder laboratories in other Wizard Lands truly could not afford.
The Celtic Wizard looked at Locke and said, "There's no need to queue for the structure comparison machine; we have a total of five such devices in our laboratory."
"Any of you who wants to use them can do so directly."
"You only need to limit the daily usage to twice or less, and you cannot use it continuously each time unless no one else wants to share the device with you that day."
"As for the ice magic mirror, that is Senior Breeder equipment. Wizards from other groups also need to use it, so there are many people in line."
A flash of annoyance crossed the Celtic Wizard's eyes. "Those ordinary True Knowledge Institute researchers need to apply to me to use such Senior Breeder equipment, and the Manifestation Potion is also very expensive."
"Basically, being able to use it once a month is already good luck."
"But you are a researcher of the Hall of Advanced True Knowledge, so according to the agreement in the contract, you have priority usage rights for the ice magic mirror equipment. You can use it once a week and use the Manifestation Potion once for free."
The Celtic Wizard glanced at Locke. "I hope you live up to this treatment."
Locke directly ignored this remark. Although he could see that the Celtic Wizard seemed to have a problem with him, the point was that this laboratory didn't belong to him; it belonged to his mentor, Witch Yekaterina.
So it didn't matter.
In any case, no matter how unhappy the Celtic Wizard was, he still had to arrange work for him because it was Witch Yekaterina's arrangement.
Furthermore, a wizard's only moat was whether they could produce results.
As long as he produced good results, the Celtic Wizard's current opinions of him would naturally vanish.
In Locke's view, the Celtic Wizard was simply bothered that a great researcher from the Hall of Advanced True Knowledge, who should have been assigned to his Group Six, had turned out to be a First Ring Liquefaction Stage wizard from the outside world.
That was why he was so concerned.
The Celtic Wizard handed a separate set of materials to Locke and said, "Our Group Six has recently been studying the symbiotic relationship between Ant-type Magic Creatures and madder-type magic plants. Eleven ordinary True Knowledge Institute researchers are all studying the relationship between a type of Ant-type Magic Creature and a type of madder-type magic plant; they are all on this project."
"If you join in, the difficulty will be much lower. Moreover, the data produced between these projects can be interconnected, learned from, and accumulated, which is of great significance to our Group Six."
"So, prioritize looking through these materials," Wizard Celtic said. "I have selected two research directions that are very suitable for you."
"One is a project left by a researcher from the True Knowledge Institute who just finished their term. He already found Robutas Grass, which can secrete a mating pheromone similar to that of the Steel-Chariot Carpenter Ant, tricking them into completing their reproductive cycle quickly."
"However, near where the Robutas Grass grows, it's not just the mating frequency of the Steel-Chariot Carpenter Ants that increases; there's also a phenomenon of greatly enhanced fertility. Therefore, Robutas Grass still has untapped potential."
"Thus, you could fully research the relationship between Robutas Grass and the Steel-Chariot Carpenter Ant."
Wizard Celtic continued, "The second project is our Group Six's ace project: Brolla Grass, which can assist in the reproduction of the eleven types of ant-like magic creatures discovered so far."
"If you take on this project, it will also be very easy to apply for grant funding. You only need to discover a new ant species whose reproductive capacity is enhanced by Brolla Grass and analyze the underlying mechanism, and you can complete the project within half a year."
Wizard Celtic spoke incessantly; he had arranged everything for Locke.
Even the project directions he could choose were actually limited to two types, and both were related to ants and madder-type magic plants.
Clearly, Wizard Celtic hoped that Locke, as a member of Group Six, would sacrifice some of his own interests to maintain the greater interest of Group Six.
After all, a batch of researchers would leave every five years, while he, as the group leader, would remain in Group Six for a long time.
Therefore, Wizard Celtic's interests were not the same as Locke's; he placed more importance on what could bring benefits to Group Six.
Thus, he hoped that Locke, the newly joined wizard, would cooperate with their research group's work.
Locke, however, frowned slightly. As a researcher at the Hall of Advanced True Knowledge receiving high benefits, if he took on a project that was just a standard exit project for a regular True Knowledge Institute, even if he met the requirements to finish his term...
Presumably, that special grant project would also be out of his reach.
This did not align with his own interests.
Locke took the materials and did not refute him to his face. In any case, he was here to work, not as a student; the Wizard Celtic before him could not interfere with what he wanted to do.
Learning to refuse, and to do so reasonably and smoothly, was also a skill a Formal Wizard should practice.
Locke said vaguely, "Mm, I'll look at them, Teacher Celtic."
Saying he would look didn't mean he would only choose between these two projects, nor did it even mean he would determine his topic solely from the materials on the symbiotic relationship between Rubiaceae magic plants and ant-like magic creatures.
He intended to at least glance through all the materials here to see if he could pick out a good direction before deciding on his project.
Furthermore, according to his contract, he had independent personnel and fund allocation rights. Therefore, in terms of funding and recruiting staff, he was not constrained by the Second Ring Wizard group leader before him.
He only needed Witch Yekaterina's signature.
Wizard Celtic frowned. Clever as he was, he naturally detected the hidden meaning behind Locke's vague answer.
The little patience in Wizard Celtic's eyes vanished completely. "That's about it."
"I hope you can make the right choice. If you do, there are at least many past materials in Group Six that can provide you with a reference. The wizard who was eliminated at the bottom of the rankings last year was also a Breeder and an outsider; I never expected his comprehensive ability to be so poor, and his research ability dropped significantly once he was away from his mentor."
Wizard Celtic said, "The reason many wizards can achieve a lot during the First Ring stage isn't necessarily due to their own ability. It might be because their original research group had an excellent Formal Wizard who designed the research framework and secured relatively good research conditions for that group."
Wizard Celtic looked with little patience at a chubby little wizard behind the file desk. "Panno, since you're free anyway, you introduce this newcomer to how to use the structure comparison machine and the ice magic mirror."
After saying that, Wizard Celtic turned and left the document area, heading to the other end of the public laboratory, an area with a large expanse of magic fields.
Once Wizard Celtic was far away, Wizard Panno stood up from behind the file desk, looked at Locke curiously, and then scratched his head. "You don't need to think that guy is mean. Actually, other than caring particularly about Group Six's experimental progress, he doesn't have any bad intentions."
Locke smiled and said, "Of course. If he truly had malice toward me, he wouldn't show his dissatisfaction to my face. I know Wizard Celtic is just focused on the work, not the person."
Panno laughed. "Then you're much more perceptive than I am. Actually, Wizard Celtic wasn't like this a few years ago. He just suffered a series of failures..."
"He failed when advancing to the Second Ring Initial Forging stage, then failed the selection for the Young Cadre, and then failed the selection for the Three Ze Lands Thousand Talents Plan. After consecutive failures, he started to become strange."
"For example, sometimes he'll stand at the door with that old clock of his, seeing which unlucky wizard is a few minutes late..."
Wizard Panno said, "Right, hello, I'm Panno. I heard you're from the Hall of Advanced True Knowledge, right? Locke? I'll teach you how to use those two large pieces of equipment first."
"Besides that, I can also explain the usage methods of various other equipment here along the way."
"I really envy you. I heard you're the champion of the Yunze Cup and a researcher at the Hall of Advanced True Knowledge. Not like me, who is so useless."
Although Panno was a First Ring Crystallized Wizard and not very old—looking to be in his thirties, approaching forty—he currently lacked any spirit.
He was dejected. "Even though I'm a local of the Yunze Wetland and an alumnus of this school, and I chose to stay at the school's True Knowledge Institute after graduation, it's already the second year, and my project application for the True Knowledge Institute grant still hasn't passed."
"Sigh, I'm almost worried to death."
Locke asked in confusion, "Why? Isn't this grant project application very basic? Can't everyone get it?"
Wizard Panno shook his head. "I thought so too at first. But my luck is just too bad. It passed once last year, but after working on it for a year, I found out I had the wrong direction."
"So, I could only reapply for a new direction this year. But in that case, I had to return the funds and reapply; those are the rules of the Golden Crown Mountain True Knowledge Institute."
"Then, I worked for another three months, cultivated some Snake-Heart Grass, and bought some Sky-Bow Ants. The framework was already done, and I was about to continue the research when a damn Three-Horned Black Goat ate all my Snake-Heart Grass."
Panno covered his face. "Snake-Heart Grass is extremely rare and only found in a few places. It didn't just eat all my grass; it also ate all the seedlings and all the seeds I had left."
"I'm just too miserable."
"Now, I'm looking for a direction again."
Panno waved the materials in his hand.
Locke followed him to a giant instrument composed of a large number of hollow tubes and crystal matrices.
Clearly, this was the structure comparison machine.
Locke asked curiously, "Then why don't you ask Wizard Celtic to provide you with some projects? He just suggested those two projects to me."
Panno said guiltily, "He doesn't trust me. I heard about those two projects just now, but the ants and magic plants needed for the experiments are precious assets left behind by generations of our Group Six."
"You are the Yunze Cup champion and a researcher at the Hall of Advanced True Knowledge. No matter how much of an issue he has with you, he admits you have ability."
"That's why he would directly give you those precious resources related to those two projects if you were willin