Chapter 952

Chapter 946 From this day forward, he is a member of my sect!

The Blue Dragon Throne and the Green Dragon Throne raised their heads and looked earnestly at Locke. They exchanged a silent glance with the witch Catherine, conveying a message—the senior researcher you chose from Mount Golden Crown is indeed quite good.

He truly has a sliver of potential to become a third-circle wizard.

Wizard Fisher’s eyes were complex; it seemed Locke Augustine was indeed qualified to be Antoine’s friend.

They were now on the same path.

Wizard Hao laughed heartily. “From now on, he is one of us, a fellow traveler.”

“Back when he was still a first-ring wizard, I dared to predict that he would definitely become a second-ring wizard.”

The Blue Dragon Throne turned curiously to Wizard Hao, teasingly asking, “So now, would you dare bet that he will definitely become a third-ring wizard?”

Wizard Hao laughed heartily, then smiled slightly, “I dare not.”

“Even if he embarks on this path, he only has a slim chance, a mere sliver of hope. The witch Catherine has nurtured him well. But even I cannot be certain that he will definitely become a third-ring wizard. And when it comes to third-ring wizards, one definitely needs to secure a third-ring level project fund. Otherwise, it’s difficult to accumulate enough resources to break through to the third ring on one’s own. Some things can only be collected by the White Wizard Association through its vast number of lower-ranking wizards in the endless void.”

“Since the recent proposal of the Starfield Sea’s Ascension Plan, the application for the Three Rings Foundation… may also undergo major changes. The changes are too drastic; who knows what the Three Rings Foundation will become in the next few decades? Perhaps it will cease to exist.”

Wizard Hao said to everyone, “However, I’m certain he will become a Sun Ring Wizard in the future!”

The Blue Dragon Throne pursed his lips, teasing Wizard Hao with Locke, “You’re really uninteresting. He’s already the champion of the Silent Grail; according to the future of all the previous champions of this competition, as long as nothing major goes wrong, becoming a Sun Ring Wizard is certainly achievable. It’s a shame that Master Hao, a famous prophet, is so hesitant today. I have high hopes for this young wizard; I think he will definitely become a Three Ring Wizard in the future. Dare you bet with me, Great Prophet?”

Wizard Hao scoffed.

“Mr. Alexei, you are merely a breeder, not responsible for your words and actions. I, however, am a master-level prophet of the third ring. Whether it’s the outcome of the Five Great Wars or the actual course of the battles on the front lines, people frequently seek my predictions. I dare not speak carelessly, lest I tarnish my reputation.”

“Furthermore, the several shop alliances I run rely on my words. If I’m wrong, I might go bankrupt, and the hundreds of wizards who depend on my mouth for a living would suffer.”

“If Mr. Alexei could vouch for my hundreds of students and employees, then I might dare to bet with you today.”

Seeing that Wizard Hao had become somewhat serious, the Blue Dragon Throne felt a chill, for he had only been joking.

If Wizard Hao truly believed that Locke and the third ring were unrelated, he certainly wouldn’t have taken his earlier jokes seriously. But now that Master Hao was somewhat serious, it meant that Master Hao might genuinely be considering betting on it.

Predicting the existence of something in advance is incredibly attractive to every prophet.

But if they’re wrong, the backlash can be devastating.

Predicting whether a wizard will become a third-ring wizard is always too risky, which is why Wizard Hao took it seriously and became somewhat angry.

The Blue Dragon Throne had no choice but to back down.

“It was just a joke.”

“How many magic stones would you need to lend a hand? I don’t think that young man can afford that much.”

Seeing that he had offered a way out, Master Hao smiled and nodded slightly.

The Green Dragon Throne checked the time and said, “I have another experiment to conduct later. I think the results should be ready by now. Everyone, you can write your comments.”

At this moment, Locke, standing on the platform, closed his eyes.

Within the Three Cavern Worlds, Master Geraint Nika once again stood under the Golden Tree, requesting Locke’s guidance to choose between his outstanding first disciple and his outstanding second disciple, so as to give the Ranger civilization of this world a new future.

To maintain the status quo or to establish a kingdom?

The leaves of the golden tree rustled in the breeze, their branches brushing against each other. Supported by his young apprentice, Master Geraint Nika approached the tree, seemingly overjoyed.

“Master, have you finally responded?”

How could he not guess the true identity of the Ranger who had taught him years ago?

Now, he commanded all the Rangers of the Three Caverns World, knowing the identities of all the outstanding Rangers, yet he couldn’t find anyone who matched that particular Ranger. And that person was so learned and knowledgeable; they couldn’t possibly be an unknown figure.

There was only one possibility.

The source of power for the Rangers of this world, the one who left behind the Way of the Rangers in the Three Caverns World, leading the entire world towards the Way of Nature, had returned—his teacher was him.

Master Geraint Nika listened intently, pressing his ear to a branch of the golden tree, using the spell [Sounds of Grass and Trees] to listen to the rustling of the leaves.

“Whether to establish a kingdom or maintain the status quo, Master, this question deeply troubles me.”

“You…”

Master Geraint Nika suddenly paused in astonishment.

The young apprentice looked up at Master Geraint Nika and asked, “Master, did the Grandmaster choose the eldest brother or the second brother as your successor?”

The spell of the sounds of plants and trees was far too advanced; he had never learned it, so naturally he couldn’t hear the words conveyed to Master Geraint Nika from the golden tree.

Master Geraint Nika looked at him solemnly and asked, “Have you seen the Grandmaster? Have you seen my teacher?”

The young apprentice was stunned.

“No…no.”

Master Geraint Nika handed him the symbol of the Ranger, a bow and arrow once used by Orion.

The young apprentice’s hands trembled. “Teacher…Teacher…”

Master Geraint Nika told him, “The teacher has chosen you as his successor. He said he once met you under the Golden Tree because you told him that in your eyes all Rangers are the same, so he believes you are suitable to be the instructor of the Rangers in this world.”

“After I leave, you will not need to establish a kingdom, nor will you need to maintain the status quo. You will establish an academy in the city-state of Orion, under this Golden Tree.”

“In this world, the Rangers only have master-disciple relationships; there are no ranks, no kingdoms, only academies. And the future that the Ancestor has given you is for you to be responsible for building that academy.”

The young apprentice looked up. “Ah? Could it be that the person that day was… Heavens, that person was… the Ancestor.”

Master Geraint Nika looked at him with envy. “Since the teacher has chosen you, then from today onwards you are my successor. Lennie!”

A flower suddenly bloomed on the top of the golden tree beside them. The flower quickly withered, and then a fruit grew in the place where the flower had been.

The two immediately looked up at the changes in the golden tree.

…

Golden Crown Mountain, on the first floor of the True Knowledge Academy, Locke’s magical pressure continued to surge, so that Brandy Wizard and Zeno Wizard, among others, could only shield their eyes with their hands to prevent the magical pressure from obscuring their vision.

Brandy Wizard’s eyes were glazed over. “He’s actually going to break through to the Star Ring. How is this possible?”

“Under my verbal attack, he became a Star Ring Wizard? Then… then what am I? What did I do? Why did I help the enemy?”

Droma Wizard also sighed. “All my schemes went astray. I fought with Brandy for so long, and in the end, I gained nothing.”

Wizard Zeno glanced at Locke through his fingers, his expression complex.

The winner of this debate had been decided.

Wizard Zeno looked at Locke, his gaze hardening.

He would catch up with Locke.

In the audience, Wizard Edgar David’s eyes were filled with confusion. Even though he had watched Locke construct the entire Star Ring magic from the audience, he still didn’t fully understand what was happening. He was still just one step behind.

That one step was worlds apart.

A rare look of fear appeared in Wizard Edgar David’s eyes as he looked at Locke, but the next moment, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he clenched his fists.

“No, the strong always get stronger. I am strong. I haven’t understood Locke’s methods yet, which has caused me to fall behind. This won’t do. I’ve never been inferior to anyone in my life! I want to understand… Actually, there’s one last method left.”

He clenched his fists, deep in thought.

“But this is risky…”

On the defense platform of the True Knowledge Academy, a full moon and a Tree of Prosperity appeared behind Locke. Locke looked at the full moon; the Moon of Evolution, forged by the Primordial Evolution Magic, was already extremely perfect.

However, as his magical pressure increased, the Moon of Evolution gradually turned into a golden moon.

His Moon of Evolution continuously switched between the normal blue moon state and the golden moon state.

The blue-silver moon represented the Moon Cultivation Method, and the golden moon represented Primordial Evolution.

Under his forging, his Moon of Evolution had nearly completed two rounds of forging, becoming a major magic of the Star Ring level.

The big problem was his Tree of Prosperity.

Locke turned around and walked towards the Tree of Prosperity that had appeared behind him. At this moment, all the energy of the Tree of Prosperity was concentrated on a flower on a branch at the top of the tree. The flower quickly bore a fruit, the surface of which had many cloud and water patterns.

Locke reached out and picked the fruit.

“Looking back now, the creation of the Tree of Prosperity was fundamentally flawed from the start. It was a massive magic devised by my half-body, separated from my main body, over a thousand years in a region far from the wizarding world, combining the power systems and knowledge of other civilizations. The root of the problem was flawed from the beginning.”

As Locke plucked the fruit, the once lush Tree of Prosperity suddenly began to wither.

In an instant, it became a dead tree.

Locke opened his mouth and, with a ‘crunch,’ bit off a large chunk of the fruit in his hand, quickly devouring it.

“Not bad. Truly worthy of the Fruit of Spring.”

As he ate the fruit, all the power of the Tree of Prosperity returned to him,

except for the seed left behind by the Fruit of Spring in his hand.

Locke squatted down and placed the fruit on the brick floor of the podium beside him. Instantly, the seed absorbed energy, regaining Locke’s power, and began to sprout.

“There’s no need for a kingdom. The Rangers only need to maintain order through the academy system to keep them perpetually in a state of spring. Spring is the state of greatest possibility, the state where possibilities are still increasing, the state where competition is least intense…”

“Why must there be summer? When a civilization develops to the point where possibilities disappear, it’s time to transform those possibilities into power. At that time, competition among people will be at its greatest, and people will be filled with malice. A boundless vitality will arise, transforming into an upward force. Numerous plants will begin to compete for nutrients and nourishment in summer. This is the Summer Chaos.”

Images of summer magic appeared before Locke’s eyes.

“Kingdoms are a product of summer. But academies are a product of spring, when people don’t trample each other, vying for sunlight and nutrients. In spring, when all things are sown, resources are abundant, and there’s plenty of space. Academyes are such vibrant things.”

“Although normally, the world’s resources are generally limited, so in a natural state, spring quickly ends, turning into summer where people compete for resources. Because of the chaos of summer, kingdoms are needed to manage the evils of life and restrain people. But the problem is, as a wizard… if I can’t constantly find more possibilities for my civilization, develop more resources, and keep myself and my civilization forever in a state of spring, what kind of wizard am I?”

“Therefore, Rangers, we will continue to introduce the academy system.”

The seed Locke planted at his feet took root and sprouted, quickly growing into a small tree. Then, this small tree grew rapidly, transforming into a lush, golden-green tree.

Locke modified the spell model of the Tree of Prosperity.

From then on, the foundation of the Tree of Prosperity’s magical model was the Fruit of Spring. A new Tree of Prosperity grew from the seeds of the Fruit of Spring, and its essence was spring magic. Therefore, the fruits of this new Tree of Prosperity could be fruits of other seasonal magic, whether summer or winter,

because the tree’s essence was spring magic!

At this moment, a fruit already hung on this new Tree of Prosperity—the original Spring Prosperity Fruit, representing its ability to intercept the energy of the four seasons, transforming it into excess energy, allowing its magical plant to temporarily multiply from one to two.

And now, on a branch at the top of this Tree of Prosperity, it blossomed and bore fruit again, producing a second fruit!

(End of Chapter)