Level 6 Deep Purple Jade

Dwarf Street.

Locke used a handkerchief to put away the Vampire's heart. He remembered the Dark Elf Sasari once saying that Vampire hearts could be used to make many kinds of Apprentice Level potions.

One Apprentice Level potion called [Scarlet Echo] could permanently increase a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice's Mental Power by 10% at once. Its only side effects were Vampire Syndrome symptoms within a month, such as unstable body temperature, blood-red vision, and loss of taste.

Taking this Vampire heart would benefit him greatly.

He had not expected that joining the Patrol Squad and becoming an enforcement wizard at Lilith's Cottage would let him obtain such a relatively rare magical material.

Locke lowered his head and looked at the wound on his shoulder. Still, this job was indeed dangerous.

Take what had just happened. If that Wizard Apprentice from the Blood Curse Court had made him the primary target, he would already be dead.

Fortunately, he appeared to have little Mana, so he had not drawn the Black Wizard Apprentice's attention.

But as long as he stayed in the Patrol Squad for too long, the Blood Curse Court would eventually uncover his information. When that happened, he would be in real danger.

So, just as Sophia had reminded him, he still needed to find a way to leave the Patrol Squad as soon as possible.

Locke turned and walked toward Captain Bruno Suarez. "Captain Suarez, I happen to have two friends here. I'd like to go see if they're all right."

Bruno Suarez was cleaning up the scene and searching for evidence. He waved a hand dismissively. "There aren't that many rules here. Do whatever you want."

"Hailia, take that experiment journal with you. We need to hand it over to the Academy's upper ranks."

"Such harmful things must be destroyed and sealed away."

Captain Bruno Suarez coldly addressed the frightened third-class Wizard Seedlings. "New students, listen carefully."

"This is the fate of those who take the crooked path."

"Take it as a warning."

On Dwarf Street, the terrified Wizard Seedlings immediately nodded one after another in agreement.

Meanwhile, Locke entered Lorne's house on Dwarf Street. Lorne and Pierre had both hidden inside the house.

When Lorne and Pierre saw that the person entering their home was Locke, both of them immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Lorne let out a long breath. "Locke, so it was you."

"Congratulations. Pierre and I heard that you've become an enforcement Wizard Apprentice."

Pierre looked at Locke with some envy. At that moment, two badges were pinned to Locke's wizard robe—one Academy Badge representing his status as a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice, and another representing his identity as an enforcement Wizard Apprentice.

Pierre said, "Locke, you actually became an enforcement Wizard Apprentice. Even local Wizard Apprentices find it difficult to join the Patrol Squad."

"You're really amazing."

Locke froze for a moment, then realized that although Pierre was a local wizard, he came from an ordinary family. It was only natural that he did not know much about the Patrol Squad's current situation.

Locke did not want to explain too much, so he merely nodded. "It's all right."

"I came this time to see whether anything had happened to you. It's good that you're both fine."

"Be careful during this period."

Lorne and Pierre were deeply moved by his words.

Lorne said, "Locke, it's wonderful to have a friend like you."

"Don't worry. Come to think of it, we should thank you too. Since you walked into our house wearing the Second-Class Wizard Apprentice badge and the enforcement Wizard Apprentice badge, I think Pierre and I will have far fewer minor troubles for a while."

Locke nodded. Seeing that the two of them were safe, he chatted with them briefly before turning and leaving on an excuse.

Watching Locke's departing back, Pierre said enviously, "He became a Second-Class Wizard Apprentice and joined the Patrol Squad in just one year. Who knows how long the two of us will need to study before we can leave this place?"

Lorne glanced at him. Thinking of how he had joined Lilith's Cottage with Locke, sailed here with him, and even received the same aptitude ranking, he could not help sighing as well.

"This is the difference between people."

"We can only study hard and push forward with all our strength if we want to catch up to geniuses like them."

That afternoon, the Patrol Squad went out again and dealt with a minor disturbance caused by an invading magical species, the [Screaming Frog].

Because of the Wizard War between Lilith's Cottage and the Blood Curse Court, not only had many Wizard Apprentice spies infiltrated Lilith's Cottage territory, but the ecological environment had also become slightly unbalanced.

As a result, the Patrol Squad's workload had soared.

Only after a tiring day did Locke return to 341 Knockturn Alley.

Inside his small villa, Locke took off his dust-covered wizard robe and handed it to a Gray Dwarf. Then he said to another Gray Dwarf, "Bring dinner to my room, and prepare hot water for my bath."

"Do not let anyone enter my bedroom and disturb my rest."

The Gray Dwarves bowed to Locke. "Great wizard master, your command is our divine decree."

In the bedroom, Locke sat on the bed, holding a thumb-sized deep purple gemstone in his hand. The jade had eight facets and reflected a noble glow.

This was a new synthesis recipe he had discovered recently.

Locke saw the item description of the gemstone—

Deep Purple Jade.

[Level 6 synthesized item. A special gemstone from the void, said to be a strange jade formed when turbulent currents in the void highly compress matter. It has the special effect of absorbing Mental Power impurities contaminated by bloodlines. One piece of Deep Purple Jade can improve the quality of ten units of Mana.]

A thoughtful look flashed through Locke's eyes. "I heard of this gemstone in Universal Studies. It's an Apprentice Level magical resource that is not produced in the Southeastern Corner Region."

"When wizards modify themselves with bloodlines, they gain many benefits, but it also causes bloodline contamination and alters the nature of their Mana, leaving behind many side effects."

"But with several pieces of Deep Purple Jade, that problem can be easily resolved."

Locke pondered. "Second-Class Wizard Apprentices can indeed undergo a simple bloodline modification surgery."

"Generally speaking, Second-Class Wizard Apprentices will perform at least one bloodline modification on their bodies. It can somewhat improve their aptitude and Mental Power."

"It's something common that everyone does."

"Besides, staying in the Patrol Squad is extremely dangerous. I must raise my strength as soon as possible, so I won't end up as helpless as I was today."

"Since I have the conditions, I should undergo a bloodline modification with relatively low side effects."

Locke reached for a magic book on the bookshelf and began reading. The greatest mental side effect of bloodline modification was that it would reduce the purity of one's Mana, leaving behind hidden dangers that could affect future advancement.

It was something beneficial in the present but harmful in the future.

But if he had a large amount of Deep Purple Jade, he could undergo bloodline modifications that were powerful but caused severe Mental Power contamination.

He flipped through his Universal Studies notes, and his gaze stopped on the illustrated entries for the intermediate Magic Creatures, [Orkney Giant Bear] and [Ursun Giant Wolf].