Locke followed the Witch Sophia to her Magic Plant Room, as after teaching him the path beyond First Class Wizard Apprentice, she would begin the Breeding Course.
The two walked through the castle-sized Botanical Garden.
Only now did Locke realize this was a Medium-sized Botanical Garden. Since Witch Sophia had only been promoted to Formal Wizard for slightly over two years, she hadn't yet applied for a large Botanical Garden.
Due to potential non-renewal of her contract with Lilith's Cottage, Witch Sophia had no plans to apply for one.
Witch Sophia asked Locke, "Locke, have you finished reading the First Class Wizard Apprentice handbook I gave you three days ago?"
Locke nodded. "Yes, teacher. I've read it several times. I've already begun practicing and have grasped the techniques for concealing and retracting my Magic Pressure as described in it."
This wasn't particularly difficult—like someone with arms needing only minimal practice to learn how to bounce a ball.
Locke withdrew his emitted Magic Pressure, restraining his aura so it no longer radiated outward.
Witch Sophia gave a slight nod. "Good. Over these years, you've mastered the Grafting Breeding Method and gained preliminary understanding of the Hybridization and Cutting Breeding Methods."
"These are the three fundamental breeding techniques every Breeder Assistant should learn, choosing one to specialize in. Some wizard apprentices who remain Breeder Assistants for extended periods even refine all three methods, though I find that rather pointless."
Witch Sophia had undoubtedly been a genius among apprentices, focused solely on rapid advancement.
She would never consider stagnating at First Class Wizard Apprentice for over a decade just to master all three breeding methods and win more competitions.
Walking through a field of Phoenix Tail Flowers, Witch Sophia said, "So today, I'll teach you knowledge and skills required to pass the Breeder examination—things a qualified Breeder should know."
Locke's heart skipped a beat. He knew this moment had come.
Now a First Class Wizard Apprentice with his Synthetic Cube upgraded to level 7, he could synthesize superior plants.
Once obtaining his Breeder Certificate, he could openly sell level 7 synthetic plants as his own creations.
Moreover, he needn't overly concern himself with the Blood Curse Court anymore—they'd already sent assassins after him.
As a First Class Wizard Apprentice, any further assassination attempts would require sending peers of his rank.
But dispatching First Class Wizard Apprentices to kill him here would be tantamount to declaring outright war against Lilith's Cottage on their home turf.
Witch Sophia said, "Before that, I'll test you. Which breeding method is suitable for Phoenix Tail Flowers? Answer within three seconds or I'll consider your foundation inadequate."
Locke immediately responded, "Understood, teacher."
"The Phoenix Tail Flower is a medium-to-high quality Magical Plant, belonging to the category of Magical Flowers. It's suitable for artificial pollination, hybridizing different Phoenix Tail Flowers to select those inheriting the best traits from both parents. Similarly, pollen from other flowers can be used to pollinate the Phoenix Tail Flower, cultivating new varieties."
"Therefore, the Hybridization Breeding Method is most appropriate."
Sophia the Witch changed the question, asking, "What method should be used to cultivate the Whomping Willow? I need to mass-produce the Spell traits of a high-quality Whomping Willow without any alterations."
Locke immediately replied, "Then the Cutting Breeding Method should be used—taking a branch from the Whomping Willow and allowing it to regenerate into a complete plant."
The complementary Spell for the Grafting Breeding Method is the [Minor Grafting Healing Spell], for the Cutting Breeding Method it's the [Minor Rooting Spell], and for the Hybridization Breeding Method, it's the [Minor Pollination Spell].
Among the three breeding methods, Locke was only highly proficient with the Minor Grafting Healing Spell; the other two he could barely manage. He hadn't had much time to practice them.
The Hybridization Breeding Method has a long cultivation cycle with many trait variations, making it suitable for Magical Flowers. The Cutting Breeding Method is quick, producing exact clones of the parent plant, ideal for cloning descendants of certain plants or propagating healthy branches or parts. The Grafting Breeding Method is typically used for magic vines and magical trees, with a moderate cultivation cycle and average trait variations, making it a common specialization for Breeder Assistants.
Beyond these three major breeding methods, there's another called the Selection Breeding Method. This involves simply selecting high-quality seeds for Magical Plant cultivation. Even an ordinary person could do this, which is why the Selection Breeding Method is often overlooked when discussing the three main methods for Breeder Assistants. However, Locke believed the Selection Breeding Method still required some skill—not necessarily high Spell proficiency but rich experience and knowledge.
Sophia the Witch turned back to Locke in the flower field and nodded approvingly. "You've learned well; your foundation is solid."
"Locke, now I must tell you, these three breeding methods are only at the assistant level, each with its own strengths and weaknesses."
"These methods are inadequate for cultivating high-level Magical Plants. Therefore, Breeders need a more powerful breeding method, combined with the original three, to form a more efficient and sophisticated approach."
Sophia continued, "Thus, Breeders moved beyond the superficial traits of Magic Plants and delved into the realm of magical energy."
"They discovered the Magic Resonance Breeding Method."
Sophia tossed a monocle into Locke's arms. "Put this Focusing Monocle over your left eye. I'm lending it to you."
"Then observe this acre of Phoenix Tail Flowers closely."
Locke immediately placed the monocle over his left eye and instantly saw another world—one invisible to the natural vision of ordinary people. Under the influence of the Focusing Spell enchanted into the monocle by the Enchantment School, Locke found his visual acuity magnified dozens, even hundreds of times.
The distance of what he saw hadn't changed—only the details had.
Locke had always been highly sensitive to Wood Element Particles. Under the effect of the focusing spell, he could now see the various magical energy particles hidden within these Phoenix Tail Flowers—their flow, composition, and the incredibly tiny Plant Essences with diverse shapes and colors.
Witch Sophia said, "Do you see? Those complex Plant Essences determine the traits of magical plants."
"The three major breeding methods at the assistant level merely rearrange these Plant Essences on a macroscopic scale."
"Magical power, however, influences those Plant Essences. This is the Magic Resonance Breeding Method."
Witch Sophia extended her right hand, which immediately emitted a blazing, radiant light—a sphere of white energy, brimming with power like the sun.
Under the influence of this energy, Locke, wearing his Focusing Monocle, was astonished to discover that Sophia's magical energy radiation was altering the various Plant Essences of these Phoenix Tail Flowers, forcing them to undergo certain changes.
This caused the Phoenix Tail Flowers to begin mutating genetically.
Witch Sophia said gravely, "In the Magical Field, release specific, powerful magical radiation. Use this radiation to forcibly interfere with the Plant Essences inside magical plants, compelling them to mutate. Then, employ the three major breeding methods for targeted cultivation."
"This is the domain of the Breeder."
Locke had an epiphany. "Teacher, can I understand it as first increasing the mutation rate of the Magic Plant, then conducting targeted cultivation?"
Witch Sophia nodded. "Yes, very good. You've grasped it correctly."
"Magical radiation will resonate in a certain harmonic frequency with the magical power inside the plant, conducting energy to either strengthen or weaken the Magic Plant."
"So the key lies in selecting the radiation frequency of your magical power. Otherwise, it's easy to end up killing or actively degrading your magical plant."
"Therefore, before the development of the Magic Resonance Breeding Method, few Breeders realized this could even be done."
Witch Sophia continued, "Moreover, this is a breeding method only usable by wizards at the First Class Wizard Apprentice level or above. Only their Mana can precisely control the so-called frequency."
"What is the radiation frequency of Mana? Because the Mana of a First Class Wizard Apprentice forms Magic Pressure, and Magic Pressure in turn generates Mana. Thus, during conduction, Mana undergoes a cyclic change of Magic Pressure—Mana, forming the basis for frequency control."
"Different plants naturally resonate with different Mana frequencies. So the secret to mastering this technique lies in exploring which Mana frequencies these Magic Plants resonate with best and how powerful the Mana source needs to be."
Witch Sophia said, "Most advanced Magic Plants can even resonate with dozens of frequencies. Some can even achieve so-called optimal resonance frequencies with over a dozen Mana frequencies—at least for now, they're still optimal."
"Breeders discover different optimal resonance frequencies, then rely on a bit of luck and the four major breeding methods to better cultivate powerful magical plants through targeted breeding."
"So, you see, the complexity and difficulty lie right here."
"The Breeder is a wizard profession that demands the highest level of Mana stability and precision," Sophia said, looking at Locke. "That's why I prioritized guiding you down this path initially—I recognized your unparalleled innate talent for Mana stability."
"And this talent will prove most valuable when you learn the Magic Resonance Breeding Method."
The witch Sophia dispersed the magical light sphere in her hand, and immediately, the Phoenix Tail Flower fields that had been stirred into waves by the Magic Pressure calmed once more.
Locke watched thoughtfully. "I see..."
He thought to himself, 'Then I'll need more Cyan Jade and Deep Blue Gem. Ideally, I should find more synthesis formulas that can enhance Mana stability.'
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