Chapter 438: Eric's Shock
Inside Eric's office, Eric and Yurian were shocked to see the results of Locke Augustine's research group passing the preliminary round of the Yunze Cup.
Eric fell into a state of confusion. "Is the Yunze Cup not as difficult as I thought, or is this just fake news? Wizards from our Six Towers Land participating in outside competitions are usually just there to make up the numbers."
"No, the Yunze Cup competition is very difficult," Yurian said. "Based on the difficulty of the Yunze Cup in previous years, Breeders who can pass the third round of the Yunze Cup are all top-tier One-Ring Breeders in the Eastern Border Region."
Yurian quickly flipped through the materials in his hand, then handed them to Eric, saying, "Look, I have investigated the Breeders who were able to participate in the second round and enter the main competition in previous years, as well as their fates within twenty years after participating. In the end, the worst result for them was becoming a First Ring Crystallization Wizard."
"And they held senior teaching positions in various Wizard Lands. As for the wizards who can pass the third round of the Yunze Cup, based on past experience, one-third of them have already become Second Ring Wizards."
"And the champion of the Yunze Cup is guaranteed to become a Second Ring Wizard. This is beyond doubt; it is only a matter of time. Only in very rare accidents, leading to the fall of a genius, might they lose the opportunity to become a Second Ring Wizard."
Yurian said, "Of course, Locke Augustine has only just passed the third round of the competition, which is the first round of the main competition, and he is only ranked sixth in this competition."
"But it also shows that he is indeed a wizard with extraordinary talent. I think even our grandfather would try to win him over."
Eric muttered to himself. "The possibility of a Second Ring Wizard? Extraordinary talent? No, isn't he just a tool and thug used by Alicia to accumulate wealth? Could it be that he is actually participating in the competition seriously?"
Yurian looked at Eric in surprise, "No, are you saying, Eric, that you have always thought Locke Augustine participated in the Yunze Cup just to accumulate wealth?"
Eric nodded very seriously. "Yes, that's why I also want to participate in the Golden Cup. If they can accumulate wealth, why can't I?"
"But I didn't expect that they were actually serious about participating in the competition."
Eric's expression became strange. "No wonder Alicia has such a good relationship with that kid. He has the potential to become a Second Ring Wizard? That's like catching a golden son-in-law under the rankings."
"Damn it, it must have been my big sister who instigated this."
Eric's expression suddenly turned odd. "Then I guess he's one of our own. No wonder that guy can run amok in the Plutarch Family all day."
Eric was a bit anxious. "How come all the good things belong to my big sister, and none for me?"
Yurian reminded him, "But Eric, you don't have a daughter; you have three sons. And all three of your sons married witches from the Basil Family, and even your wife is a witch from the Basil Family. Your family has never had a precedent of marrying commoner wizards or outside wizards."
"On the contrary, my cousin Lisa, her husband is also a common son-in-law from an outside Wizard Land. Before coming to our Wizard Land, he was just an ordinary Formal Wizard, and now he is also a First Ring Crystallization Wizard."
Eric's face changed.
Yurian whispered, "If they really achieve success in the Yunze Cup, your status in this family will be in jeopardy."
Eric snorted, "I still have a sense of propriety in my actions. The Plutarch Family has rules; internal family fighting is absolutely forbidden."
"As long as the Plutarch Family still exists, at worst, I am still a direct descendant of the magistrate family here. If the family were gone, I would just be an ordinary First Ring Wizard at an ordinary stage."
"So, since that kid really wants to participate in the Yunze Cup, I cannot sabotage it. His participation in the Yunze Cup has already become a joint investment for our family. If I sabotage it, it will only incur public anger."
Eric thought to himself.
Yurian said, "I'm not saying that. I mean, since this is a project created by one of our own, why give the benefits to outsiders? Augustine can take a group of ordinary commoner wizards to participate in the fourth round of the competition, so why can't he take our family's wizards?"
"Instead of benefiting outsiders, it would be better to take the next generation of young, excellent wizards from our Plutarch Family to participate in the Yunze Cup. Wouldn't that be better? Besides, the funding for his participation in the Yunze Cup is all sponsored by our Plutarch Family."
"As the financiers, it's normal for us to ask him to take a few people. This is the case everywhere; the financier who pays money just makes a few demands."
Eric's eyes lit up. "You mean let my sons and your sons replace two useless commoner Wizard Apprentices, join their research group, and get some gilding?"
Yurian nodded repeatedly. "Yes, that's exactly what I mean. At worst, we will also pay Augustine to buy the spots of two commoner Wizard Apprentices. It wouldn't change the main structure of his research group at all. I think, for the sake of money, he would definitely agree."
"Otherwise, they are a research group composed entirely of commoner wizards. If they win the Yunze Cup, where will we family wizards put our faces?"
Eric's eyes lit up. "This can work."
"I won't participate in the Golden Cup. Inserting a Wizard Apprentice into Locke's research group—that should be fine, right? I can even save that little blonde girl two million magic stones."
Eric's eyes flashed with brilliance, and he began to calculate.
...
White Dragon Tower, 20km on the first floor, in Lisa's home.
The First Ring Liquefaction Witch, Lisa, looked dotingly at her three adult sons beside her. The eldest son was already an ordinary One-Ring Wizard, while the other two sons were in their thirties and were still First-Class Wizard Apprentices.
For families like theirs, as long as they want to become Formal Wizards, they can definitely use the Tidal Serpent Pearl to semi-elementalize their bodies and become Formal Wizards.
It's just that both of them have the possibility of becoming Formal Wizards through their own ability, so they avoid using the Tidal Serpent Pearl if they can.
Once the Tidal Serpent Pearl is used, combined with True Blood, to become a semi-elementalized Bloodline Wizard, they will be locked in the One-Ring Wizard stage for the rest of their lives.
Moreover, they would be unable to leave the Six Towers Land. Because the Tidal Serpent Pearl requires the cooperation of the six signal towers to function, if they leave the Six Towers Land, their bodies will disintegrate.
Sitting beside Lisa was a First Ring Crystallization Wizard, who was none other than Alicia's father, Gregory Nick.
Lisa looked at her two sons in front of her, curled her lips, and said, "Alicia is still more useful. Not only did she win the trust and favor of grandfather, but she also recently sponsored a good project, and that project has actually entered the fourth round of the Yunze Cup finals."
"It's truly not simple."
Gregory, who was dressed somewhat simply within the Plutarch Family, smiled dotingly and said, "That is your and my daughter. She is very much like you when you were young."
Lisa asked rhetorically, "Are you saying I am no longer young?"
Gregory was a little flustered, "No, that's not what I meant. You always like to misunderstand my meaning. Are you even jealous of your own daughter?"
Lisa snorted feignedly, then said to her two sons, "You should learn from your younger sister. Don't just know how to go out and have fun every day, changing women faster than changing clothes."
"Even at the very least, learn from your cousin George. At least he recently married a witch from the Basil Family. Unlike you two, who have caused so much trouble for witches in the Six Towers Land, causing those wizard families with similar family backgrounds to absolutely not marry their daughters to us."
"Second son, I heard you are getting a divorce again recently? Which one is this? The eighth one, right? I think you should stop getting married; mistresses are so much better!"
Gregory, one of the only five First Ring Crystallization Wizards in the Plutarch Family, showed anger on his face. He looked at his son and said, "I don't object to you having mistresses, but the problem is, don't get divorced so many times. You are really going to make me a laughingstock."
"Yesterday when I went out, a wizard from the Basil Family asked me for advice on magic problems and even talked to me about your history of seven divorces, and now it's going to increase by one. You are not young anymore, and you already have several children."
Lisa's two sons became timid, fearing to provoke their two major backers at the same time.
Lisa turned to Gregory Nick and stated her true purpose. "You go and talk to Alicia. Can our eldest son, Andrew, also join the research group of the wizard named Locke Augustine? I heard that Alicia has an excellent relationship with Locke, and we are the financiers who provide the money..."
Gregory had just taken a sip of water and almost coughed it out. He frowned and resolutely refused such a troublesome matter. "Then you should tell her yourself."
"Besides, I don't think there is much hope. Think about it yourself. During the time when I first came to your family, I also encountered people who wanted to stuff people into my project group. At that time, you and I were both very angry."
"We were too weak then to refuse, but now Alicia is the acting family head. Even I, in principle, have to listen to her orders and cannot interfere with family affairs at will. Have you forgotten the contract I signed with the family?"
"I enjoy family support, so I have to get used to being high and mighty and cannot interfere with the internal operations of the family."
"Your family is quite guarded against me."
Lisa thought for a moment and had no choice but to give up. "I have no objection to Alicia managing the family; I even support it, and I also love my little daughter very much. It's just a pity for our eldest son, Andrew, who is still just an ordinary One-Ring Wizard."
Lisa smiled bitterly. "It's not that I am partial; it's really that I also have to arrange the future for my children. Alicia's future is no longer for me to arrange, so I must at least arrange for our eldest son."
Gregory stood up and found an excuse to stay away from the trouble. "Well, that's good."
"I still have things to do in my laboratory. I'll go first, Lisa."