Wizard: Starting With Synthesized Gems-Chapter 157: Breeder Assessment

Lilith's Cottage, breeder assessment site.
Locke discovered that a total of five breeding assistants were participating in this assessment. Among them, only two were breeding assistants from Lilith's Cottage, including himself, while the remaining three were breeding assistants from other small wizard organizations.
At the formal breeder assessment site, there were three formal wizards from Lilith's Cottage. These three formal wizards' white wizard robes all bore the badges of senior breeder certification, and their wizard robes were also adorned with various certification badges for award-winning magical plants they had developed in the southeastern quadrant.
The most distinguished among them was undoubtedly the person sitting in the middle, wearing a purple wizard robe and a violet-colored wizard hat, with a deep blue arcane orb circling around the wizard hat.
This person was Lady Morgana, Witch Sophia's teacher.
Locke withdrew his gaze from Lady Morgana and, following the other four breeding assistants, bowed to the three formal wizards who were also senior breeders responsible for the assessment.
The three breeding assistants from outside small and medium wizard organizations were undoubtedly more nervous than them. Facing three formal wizards, even their behavior became very stiff due to excessive tension, and their voices were somewhat distorted when speaking during the bow.
Because in small and medium wizard organizations, there were often only one or two formal wizards, and their status was even higher than that of formal wizards in Lilith's Cottage. Those wizard organizations were often their personal domains.
Beside Morgana was a formal wizard, senior breeder Jonas Cortez. He was most famous for inventing a high-level magical plant called Boundary Marker Moss, which could autonomously generate First Circle level barriers.
The barriers of various alchemy cottages in Lilith's Cottage used seeds of this high-level magical plant as spellcasting medium materials to cast them.
That was a textbook-level high-level magical plant, said to possess characteristics completely incomparable to apprentice-level magical plants.
High-level magical plants were the domain of senior breeders.
So far, all the magical plants Locke had encountered were only middle-high level and below magical plants.
Jonas Cortez, as a silver-haired old man, coughed and said, "Verdant Nursery, Seven-Color Star Garden, Symbiotic Caravan, and our two breeding assistants from Lilith's Cottage, everyone has arrived, right."
"Then, we can begin the assessment."
Jonas Cortez nodded slightly to Lady Morgana and another senior breeder. Of course, he was obviously more respectful to Lady Morgana, as her status among formal wizards was also higher.
Jonas Cortez then said to the breeding assistants participating in the assessment, "Breeders hold a very special position in the hearts of plant magic direction wizards in the southeastern quadrant. We explore magical plants, research magical plants, record magical plants, preserve magical plants..."
He waved his hand, and suddenly the entire assessment venue transformed from an ordinary stone room into one filled with birdsong and floral fragrance. Green shoots grew from the cracks between the walls, and brilliant flowers bloomed in this stone room.
The breeding assistant from Symbiotic Caravan, who was younger, couldn't help but make a sound. "So beautiful."
Jonas Cortez affirmed, "Yes, it is indeed too beautiful."
"The breeding field is a form of aesthetics. Senior breeders can even personally change the ecological environment of a place and recreate magical plant ecosystems. Your aesthetic sense will be reflected in the magical plants you personally cultivate."
"Therefore, I have always believed that the hidden talent of breeders is... your aesthetic sense. Your aesthetic sense determines how far you can ultimately go."
"Young breeder successors, as a senior breeder, I welcome you to formally step into the field of breeding studies today. Please be mentally prepared for today's examination."
"This examination represents our Lilith's Cottage's recognition standard for the level that formal breeders should possess. The assessment begins."
Locke understood in his heart that among first-class wizard apprentices, there were quite a few who had taken the formal breeder assessment for over ten years, or even decades, without passing.
The gap between first-class wizard apprentices was enormous.
Some first-class wizard apprentices were almost reduced to debt slaves, completely unable to bear the consumption of learning meditation techniques. Some first-class wizard apprentices had various projects in their hands, and compared to them, he was just a small fry.
Jonas Cortez was about to announce that the first round of the formal breeder examination would be the beginning of the theoretical test.
But at this moment, Lady Morgana, who had maintained silence, suddenly spoke. Lady Morgana appeared to be a plump middle-aged woman, but her face showed grace and nobility. She wore some jewelry, with large gemstone rings on three fingers of her right hand, and a deep-sea pearl necklace hanging around her neck.
Each pearl on that necklace was probably obtained from magical creature oysters in the deep sea, not ordinary items.
Lady Morgana suddenly said at this moment, "Jonas, wait a moment."
Locke lowered his head. He felt Lady Morgana's gaze linger on him for a moment, but she quickly looked at others.
He just wanted to normally pass the breeder assessment and obtain the formal breeder certificate.
He hoped the grievances between Lady Morgana and Teacher Sophia wouldn't affect him.
Jonas Cortez turned to look at Lady Morgana. It seemed that even among formal wizards, there were differences.
Lady Morgana obviously had deeper qualifications and mana. "Jonas, I think in previous years we only tested breeders' skill levels and theoretical knowledge. This assessment was too narrow."
"This year I am the chief examiner, and I believe I should add another round of examination, testing the breeder industry standards handbook..."
"This is mainly to make breeder successors understand reverence, know how to respect rules, rather than like some people who treat rules as nothing, able to trample them at will when needed, and modify them arbitrarily."
"We need to set a good example for our successors."
"Mr. Jonas, Mr. Malcolm, what do you two think?"
Jonas and Malcolm were somewhat at a loss at the moment, because the examination items over the years were relatively fixed, with a framework but this year's chief examiner, Lady Morgana, had directly changed this framework.
For a moment, neither knew whether to agree.
After all, this might very likely lead to inquiries from the senior advisors and supervisors but Lady Morgana had many students at Lilith's Cottage and considerable seniority. Besides Halen Vera, she was one of the oldest formal wizards, therefore holding the highest status and being a top-level academic faction.
The two ordinary formal wizards couldn't very well openly refute Lady Morgana's serious suggestion to her face.
At least they had to give Lady Morgana some face.
After consideration, Jonas and Malcolm could only agree with insufficient confidence. After all, Lady Morgana was the chief examiner, and setting the examination scope and content was her authority.
However, Malcolm and Jonas still negotiated with Lady Morgana that this newly added examination item could only serve as a comprehensive performance reference and couldn't directly eliminate candidates in this round.
Good performance would earn bonus points, poor performance would result in point deductions.
This way, they could minimize the impact of this suddenly added examination item while not offending Lady Morgana.
Actually, Malcolm and Jonas had long anticipated this situation. After all, Lady Morgana, as a senior formal wizard with old qualifications at Lilith's Cottage, acted somewhat unrestricted, and few people dared to refuse her requests to her face.
Moreover, the breeder industry standards handbook was indeed content published by the White Wizard Association, requiring every breeder to study it to prevent incidents like the abyssal plant catastrophe of the Green Ring Society from occurring again.
So, this newly added examination content was actually quite reasonable.
However, Lady Morgana's newly added examination item still made the candidates except Locke panic somewhat.
The breeder examination was already difficult enough, and now there were sudden changes, naturally leaving them somewhat at a loss.
Locke, however, breathed a slight sigh of relief in his heart. 'No wonder Teacher had me memorize the breeder industry standards handbook several times before the examination.'
'It seems Teacher had long anticipated that Lady Morgana would do this.'
'After all, a student understands the teacher. They're family.'