567: A Contest of Quality and Quantity!
The two forces collided. Locke's five Eternal Defense Fields had a greater total energy, while Witch Diana's Full Moon Barrier had higher quality.
When they collided, the collapse of Diana's Eternal Defense Field that Locke had anticipated did not occur. Instead, his own five Eternal Defense Fields began to chain-collapse.
"This is…"
An Great Green Leaf Dragon Sparrow appeared behind Locke, using Plant Mimicry: Green Dragon to quickly fly into the sky. He saw that the ground where he had been was enveloped by moonlight, which seemed to pour down from the sky. The entire stretch of ground was filled with icy moonlight, congealing into an ice abyss.
A pair of ice skates appeared again under Witch Diana's feet, and a Luna Laurel Treant appeared behind her. However, this Treant was sturdier and more powerful than it had been six months ago.
Witch Diana elegantly glided through the sky on her ice skates, catching up to Locke. Her Eternal Defense Field once again collided with Locke's five stacked Eternal Defense Fields, causing Locke's Eternal Defense Fields to dissipate.
Locke frowned, only able to use Plant Mimicry: Green Dragon to quickly dodge her continuous slashes.
Each time she swung her laurel leaf scimitar, she could summon a massive amount of ice magic power.
This was because Witch Diana had already possessed a Second Ring characteristic six months ago, and now, she had become even more powerful.
Locke saw his five stacked Eternal Defense Fields collide with her Full Moon Barrier for the third time. The result was that his own five superimposed Eternal Defense Fields collapsed, while her single Eternal Defense Field remained completely intact.
A flicker of interest appeared in Locke's eyes. 'As expected of a renowned Breeder genius from Cloud Marsh Wetland. In just half a year, she found a way to counter my multiple Eternal Defense Fields.'
'This efficiency is truly too high.'
'But I also have her to thank. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have discovered the flaw in multiple Eternal Defense Fields.'
Witch Diana laughed heartily, not out of smugness, nor because she was now pursuing Locke, venting the frustration she had felt at the Yunze Cup.
Rather, it was because the results of her six months of hard work, using all her fragmented personal time to research, had indeed been verified.
Today, she had successfully verified her hypothesis about multiple Eternal Defense Fields with Locke. Tomorrow, she would go to Edgar to verify her hypothesis about the natural incarnation of the Ancient Tree Treant.
Six months of hard work, and today she finally received her reward!
Witch Diana said, "My guess was indeed correct. The reason your multiple Eternal Defense Fields are powerful isn't because the idea itself is so brilliant, but because you possess a Second Ring characteristic."
"That Second Ring characteristic is what makes your multiple Eternal Defense Fields powerful."
"That Second Ring characteristic allows you to gather the power of multiple people onto one person. But this doesn't mean that mindlessly stacking Eternal Defense Fields is the correct path."
Behind Witch Diana, another full moon rose. It was the Botany First Ring Eternal Defense Field, the Full Moon Barrier.
That Full Moon Barrier enveloped Locke. The Full Moon Barrier was connected to the osmanthus fragrance of the Luna Laurel Treant behind it, and that osmanthus fragrance continuously provided magic energy to the Full Moon Barrier, allowing it to also acquire a Second Ring characteristic.
Thus, Locke's five stacked First Ring Eternal Defense Fields collided with the Full Moon Barrier, which had its magic energy amplified by the osmanthus fragrance and gained a Second Ring characteristic.
This resulted in the Eternal Defense Fields of both sides being evenly matched, with Witch Diana even having a slight edge.
Essentially, this was a battle between quality and quantity.
Locke looked at Witch Diana, who was chasing him, gliding on an icy track in mid-air on her ice skates.
Fighting her indeed made him feel something unique, a pressure that other Wizards could not provide, a pressure that only someone on the same path could bring.
The last time he felt such pressure was during his battle with Hussein.
"She noticed that multiple Eternal Defense Fields are essentially stacked and nested together. If subjected to a strong enough impact, the multiple Eternal Defense Fields on me will collide with each other, causing some energy loss, like turbulence in a flowing river."
"That is, if multiple Eternal Defense Fields have the phenomenon of interfering turbulence, they will absolutely not be a match for a powerful Eternal Defense Field of a similar magnitude."
Locke looked back at the Full Moon Barrier that Witch Diana was casting over him.
However, this method could only be devised by a super genius like Witch Diana.
Why did he create multiple Eternal Defense Fields?
Because a Wizard can only have one Eternal Defense Field. Even he, who used the Forest Sanctuary, could originally only use one Eternal Defense Field at a time. It was only by using the Five-Headed Snake Magic Plant that he could use multiple Eternal Defense Fields simultaneously.
And the strength of a Wizard's Eternal Defense Field has an upper limit, which leads to the conclusion that multiple Eternal Defense Fields must be stronger than a single Eternal Defense Field.
But Witch Diana, relying on the osmanthus fragrance of the Luna Laurel Treant behind her, which could rival a Ancient Tree of Life, gained a powerful magic energy amplification, obtaining a Second Ring characteristic. Using this method, she amplified the original strength of her Eternal Defense Field by at least four times, thus breaking the strength limit of a single Eternal Defense Field and creating the current situation.
But generally speaking, ritual magic only enhances one's power by about three times, which is already an enhancement limit. Further enhancement is neither very possible nor very dangerous.
Nidhogg was a precedent.
But Witch Diana, through the Luna Laurel Treant, used a special method to enhance her Eternal Defense Field by at least four times its power.
In a sense, the special ability of the Luna Laurel Treant she cultivated was indeed astonishing. He didn't know the specific principle behind it.
Locke suddenly stopped moving and made a grasping motion with his right hand. "You're right, Witch Diana. Whether it's my approach to multiple Eternal Defense Fields or your approach to doubling the strength of your Eternal Defense Field, they're actually the same."
"Ultimately, they are both the result of our thoughts on the Second Ring characteristic."
"Quantity and quality are not important. How to break through the limit and obtain the Second Ring characteristic is the most important."
Three types of force fields merged in Locke's hand, transforming into a Natural Force Field. Mister Power materialized into a highly compressed emerald green axe, which Locke then suddenly swung down towards the Full Moon Barrier in front of Witch Diana.
'Boom~'
Mister Power transformed into a giant axe, directly cleaving open the full moon in front of Diana. That full moon transformed into a faint fragrance, which was actually composed of laurel fragrance.
Currently, both Locke and Diana were Wizards in the First Ring Crystallization Phase. Without resorting to desperate ritual magic, the gap between them was no longer that large.
And Mister Power was also a magic with a Second Ring characteristic, and it possessed a special property for breaking Eternal Defense Fields. Therefore, with a single strike, it directly cleaved open Diana's Eternal Defense Field.
Meanwhile, the laurel leaf scimitar in Diana's hand drew an icy mark that landed on Locke, but was blocked by the Life Reload Locke had summoned.
Witch Diana was stunned for a moment. "How is this possible? Not multiple Eternal Defense Fields, but a special Eternal Defense Field completely fused together?"
This meant that Locke's two special Eternal Defense Fields had no turbulence issues.
At this point, Witch Diana and Locke, who was wielding the Mister Power giant axe, exchanged a few blows. In a direct confrontation, all of her leaf blades were blocked by Locke's Life Reload, while Locke's Mister Power could repeatedly cut through her Full Moon Barrier.
So, Diana could only turn and start to flee, and while being pursued by Locke, she began to ponder how to break the stalemate.
Sweat trickled down Witch Diana's forehead. "That axe, condensed from special power, actually possesses such immense strength. It can instantly breach my Defense Field. I didn't see him use it during the competition six months ago."
"Is it a new power he acquired in the last six months?"
Witch Diana said, "It seems I'm not the only one who has made progress."
"If that's the case, that fellow Edgar must have also made great progress. Previously, I thought that by only borrowing the Luna Laurel Treant, I could amplify my Eternal Defense Field and all my magic by four times, making me invincible and the most outstanding among my peers. Now it seems I was a bit arrogant."
"I am still far from being able to say I am invincible. I still need to work harder!"
Diana converted waves of osmanthus fragrance into her own magic power.
"Since that's the case, I'll fight him on endurance. I have the osmanthus fragrance provided by this Luna Laurel Treant to replenish my magic power. I'll drag it out until his power wanes, and then I'll find a way to break his new Eternal Defense Field."
Half an hour later, Diana suddenly stopped fleeing and gave a bitter smile. "I'm not fighting anymore, I surrender."
Witch Diana put away all her magic plants, and Locke also took the opportunity to dispel his Mister Power and Life Reload.
Witch Diana shook her head with a bitter smile. "You're still more formidable. I thought that after half a year, I had found the weakness of multiple Eternal Defense Fields and could defeat you to redeem myself, but who would have thought you would acquire new power."
Locke nodded and said, "Diana, your method of amplifying your Eternal Defense Field by four times is also very ingenious."
Diana said, "But it's not enough. I still need to work harder. Fighting you has helped me adjust my mindset. Thank you."
Locke nodded slightly.
His battle with Diana also allowed him to discover the weakness of multiple Eternal Defense Fields, and to witness a special amplification method.
It was a worthwhile trip.
Interacting and verifying with these geniuses can indeed greatly improve oneself.
Locke said, "Well then, I'll be going first. I need to hurry to the library to consult the reading list my collaborating mentor gave me."
Witch Diana said, "Okay, I need to get busy too. We can exchange ideas again if there's an opportunity."
After they parted ways, Locke left the Joseph Golem Shop and then headed to the library. He currently had 3000 contribution points at the Cloud Marsh Wetland public library because he had published two articles in the 'Green Grass Cloud Marsh' journal, each earning him 1500 contribution points.
This was three times more than the 500 contribution points one would get for publishing an Association S-rank article directly with the association.
Locke spent three hundred contribution points to borrow three magic books related to Peach Arc Thorn Arrow, leaving him with 2700 contribution points.
Locke then borrowed some related Association S-rank and Association A-rank articles, spending another 1000 contribution points, leaving him with only 1700 contribution points.
It was precisely because contribution points were so important that Locke had previously wanted to find apprentices to publish some second-tier journals for him to accumulate contribution points.
After all, with enough contribution points, one could also use them to exchange for opportunities to enter the Wizard Secret Realm for themselves and their students.
"[Peach Arc Thorn Arrow] is an ancient yet new magic of the Cloud Marsh Wetland…" Locke sat in a chair in the library, flipping through a book. "So there are many related works. For a long time, it was very popular among the Botanical Wizard community in the Cloud Marsh Wetland."
"Later, as more and more new plant magic emerged, the attention given to [Peach Arc Thorn Arrow] magic decreased significantly. But even today, [Peach Arc Thorn Arrow] magic remains one of the most classic First Ring magics in the Cloud Marsh Wetland."
"Furthermore, research on it continues, with small innovations appearing every year."
Locke read the content in the book: "Peach Arc Thorn Arrow requires a matching peach-type magic plant and also a matching jujube-type magic plant. It is a First Ring offensive magic with extremely strong attack power, renowned for having the top-tier attack power at the First Ring level."
"And it has a special restraining effect against negative energy magic like spiritual magic."
"Conversely, the difficulty in constructing the [Peach Arc Thorn Arrow] spell model is considerable, with the biggest challenge being focus. The construction of this spell model requires immense focus, and the construction process is long and cannot have the slightest distraction; one must constantly be in a state of absolute concentration."
Locke read the introduction to [Peach Arc Thorn Arrow]. "Constructing the [Peach Arc Thorn Arrow] spell model requires establishing a transcendental connection with a certain spiritual entity, thus requiring no emotional fluctuations whatsoever, with a blank mind. Any slight deviation could lead to magic backlash."
Locke flipped through an article that actually recorded all the instances where Wizards, due to using [Peach Arc Thorn Arrow] with confused minds, suffered magic backlash, resulting in casualties.
"This is a very dangerous magic. Precisely because of this, such a powerful magic, as time passes, fewer and fewer Wizards learn it, or even just understand it."
Locke pondered, "Teacher Yekaterina wants me to learn this magic before learning the Advanced Meditation Technique, she must want to train my absolute focus."
"However, constructing this spell will again cost money to purchase peach-type magic plants and jujube-type magic plants."
"The key is that I don't have any money right now…" Locke thought with a headache.
There was no other way; he could only learn the theoretical knowledge first. The practical part would have to wait until he had money to buy the two types of tree magic plants.
Locke flipped through a pile of magic books and began to study, and he indeed felt that the learning difficulty of this ancient spell model was much higher than that of the current mainstream Botanical magic.
Moreover, during his learning process, he seemed to be deeply communicating with some kind of spiritual entity.
Locke diligently studied in the library.
Time flew by, and half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
September 1st, True Love Festival, arrived as scheduled.
On this day, Locke was also in the library, studying [Peach Arc Thorn Arrow], taking notes, and observing Alsace's product sales rankings on the Wish Lingzhi.