Chapter 451: It Can Be Done Even Better!
Locke and the others began their testing. First, while the Hydra was incredibly powerful and could indeed stack the Eternal Defense Field to create a nine-layer barrier, a strength that had reached an incredible level...
...there were still some issues—not exactly flaws, but rather problems in practical use.
After all, it was a joint spell performed by nine wizards, which was inherently complex and certainly carried a certain level of spell risk.
The process of nine wizards simultaneously injecting their mana and Eternal Defense Fields into the Hydra Magic Plant was quite dangerous; if one wizard suddenly interrupted the operation, it would instantly cause an energy imbalance in the Hydra's vines, causing that wizard to be simultaneously attacked by eight Eternal Defense Fields, which could lead to instantaneous death.
Secondly, there couldn't be any members among the nine wizards who were too weak; otherwise, an excessive gap in strength would also trigger the aforementioned phenomenon.
Of course, strictly speaking, this couldn't be considered a flaw of the Hydra.
Because these were basic requirements for using the weapon.
Under normal circumstances, as long as a normal One-Ring Wizard didn't harbor intentions of sabotage, it was impossible for problems to arise at this stage.
Next, Locke also took the lead in testing the limit duration for the Hydra to stack the Eternal Defense Fields. Theoretically, there was no upper limit, but in reality, the limit was the pressure-bearing capacity of the Hydra's main body.
When stacked to nine Eternal Defense Fields, the Hydra itself had to endure the energy of nine fields. During this process, a massive amount of thermal energy would be generated, meaning the entire Hydra would become burning hot.
Originally, this wouldn't have mattered much because the Hydra is a plant and could take root in the ground to transfer this heat into the earth. However, if nine wizards wanted to move while carrying it, the Hydra might overheat.
However, after testing, Locke found that the problem wasn't severe. The overheating wasn't too serious, and they could even arrange for one to three Weather Masters or Storm Masters from the Shaping School among the nine wizards to use ice magic for cooling.
Locke looked at this Hydra Magic Plant. He had synthesized several subspecies of this magic plant using his magic cube, and the adult form had also been synthesized once; it was currently an 8th-level synthesized item.
He still employed the concept of "Variegated Mutation," using specific pigments produced by internal Variegated Mutations within the plant to distinguish the storage leaves corresponding to nine different levels of magic pressure. By separating them this way, the nine Eternal Defense Fields would not interfere with each other inside the Hydra Magic Plant.
In other words, the common plant pigment mutation, "Variegated Mutation," was the key to ensuring the Eternal Defense Fields within the Hydra did not conflict.
Locke handed over the remaining performance testing to the members of his research group. Meanwhile, he followed Alicia and left the Special Grade Laboratory.
To be safe, for the next month, the members of their research group—except for himself—would basically not leave the laboratory.
After all, the closer one gets to success, the more cautious one must be. If they were to stumble at this critical moment, it would be truly tragic.
On the Floating Stairs in the center of the White Dragon Tower, Alicia nodded to Locke and said, "Congratulations, Locke."
"I didn't expect you to actually be able to complete such a project." Alicia seemed very happy. "So, for the next month, you can finally relax, right?"
"The testing work shouldn't be as exhausting as before."
Locke nodded slightly. "There's still a month left, and I don't want to waste it. Although the Hydra can't be improved any further at this stage, there's still room for optimization for the Rust Bead Flower parasitic on the Hydra."
"I can still optimize the Rust Bead Flower a bit more."
Alicia lowered her head and smiled slightly. "With such a powerful magic plant, do you still need to work so hard?"
Locke shook his head. "A lion uses its full strength even when hunting a rabbit."
"Carefulness allows one to sail a ship for ten thousand years."
Alicia nodded thoughtfully. "That's true. By the way, these are two pieces of True Blood I made for you. Since you aren't a Bloodline Wizard, your body can hold at most three pieces of True Blood made for you by others."
Locke took the two pieces of True Blood from Alicia's hand.
Alicia said, "One piece of True Blood is the Secondary Berserk Curse, which can burn your bloodline potential a second time. I thought this would be quite useful for you, so I made it, though it's not as good as the one my grandfather made."
"The other piece of True Blood is the Blood Flame commonly used by us Bloodline Wizards. Blood Flame can lock onto an enemy's bloodline spirituality, tracking the enemy themselves, and can even kill them by burning their bloodline. I figured this common bloodline spell would also be suitable for you, so I chose to make this True Blood for you."
Locke nodded.
Indeed, the choices Alicia made for him were quite appropriate.
During this time, he had continued to discuss Potionology with Alicia, and their relationship had progressed further, even surpassing that of ordinary friends.
The two shared a great understanding.
Locke briefly inspected the two pieces of True Blood. After confirming there were no issues, he absorbed them into his body through skin contact.
Alicia sensed Locke's magic pressure. "Even though you've been so busy, the speed at which you increase your magic pressure hasn't slowed down. Has it reached seven thousand?"
Locke nodded slightly. "Yes, it just reached that yesterday. My advancement speed wasn't that fast before, but because I've become very proficient with my Compression Method, I can now increase my mana by two points in a single night."
With the Natural Prime Force Plane pouring into him, as long as the limit of his soul's growth accelerated, his mana increase speed would naturally speed up.
A flash of envy crossed Alicia's eyes. "At this rate, it will probably only take you two years—three years at most—to become a First Ring Crystallization Wizard."
"By the way, I've already found the inheritance related to Archaeology for you."
Locke's gaze sharpened as he looked at Alicia. He hadn't given up on searching for an Archaeology inheritance during this time either, and he had been inquiring about it every day at the market and various other places.
However, Archaeology was the most mysterious profession among the Black Wizards, and its inheritance was difficult to track down, so there had been no progress.
Locke had even considered giving up on searching in the Six Towers Land and going to other Wizard Lands, such as the Spiral Basin, where there were more Black Wizards.
But he hadn't expected Alicia to actually find it for him.
Alicia said, "I found the person at the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion on White Dragon Street. He has conditions before he'll give us the First Ring inheritance for Archaeologists—the Witch King Magic Codex."
Locke asked, "What conditions?"
Alicia said, "He wants you to sign a top-level Civilized Curse Contract and refine a potion for him. He will provide the materials, and after you've seen the recipe, you cannot refine the potion from that recipe for yourself."
Locke said, "What potion? I happen to be going to the Feathered Serpent Ancient Pavilion to deliver a batch of Main Brain Control Potions I refined earlier."
Alicia said, "It's the Abyss Werewolf Transformation Potion. It seems to be a racial transformation potion, not a Bloodline Modification potion. It can rapidly increase a wizard's mana, but the side effects are significant, as it requires transforming one's race."
"It belongs to the field of Abyssal Potion Studies and is very difficult to refine. Without using Primal Fire, the heat control for that kind of racial transformation potion is hard to master."
Locke turned to look at Alicia. "Did he investigate me? Never mind, he wouldn't have come here otherwise wanting to make this deal with me. Fine, take me to see him."
He wasn't interested in transforming his race anyway.
On the contrary, obtaining the recipe would allow him to learn certain things from it, so he was very willing to make this deal.