The confident smile on Lancaster's face froze momentarily. He looked at Locke with slight disbelief and even asked, "Excuse me, Junior Locke."
"I didn't quite catch what you just said. Did you say... you're rejecting our Green Sprout Workshop?"
Locke frowned, his patience wearing thin.
Truth be told, Lancaster was merely an ordinary First Class Wizard Apprentice, while Locke himself had already quietly progressed to the mid-tier among First Class Wizard Apprentices.
Locke confirmed firmly, "Yes, Lancaster. I have no intention of joining any workshop."
He had his own Magic Plant cultivation projects—a whole set of them, in fact—enough to establish his own workshop right then and there. All he lacked was a bit more accumulation.
Hearing this, the others who had been approaching stopped in their tracks. If even Green Sprout Workshop had been rejected, there was no way Locke would consider their Breeder Studios.
Yet Lancaster still pursued him, blocking Locke's path. "Junior Locke, perhaps you don't understand what Green Sprout Workshop represents."
"Green Sprout is the largest workshop in the academy. Even the second-ranked Vine Whisper Workshop and third-ranked Cloud Pine Workshop can't compare to us." Lancaster's eyes now carried a spark of anger, as if scolding an ignorant fool. "Even for Breeders, joining our Green Sprout Workshop is a rare opportunity."
"Extremely difficult to enter."
"We invited you only because we have a defensive Magic Plant cultivation project that requires training a new Breeder to take over."
"Otherwise, you might not have been this lucky."
Locke raised an impatient eyebrow.
He felt he'd been more than polite, yet this Wizard named Lancaster still didn't know when to quit.
"I'm not interested."
"Find someone else."
Lancaster was thoroughly provoked. "You... Augustine, you're too arrogant."
Locke's frown deepened.
He genuinely believed his reaction was perfectly reasonable. He'd shown remarkable patience toward this First Class Wizard Apprentice who was weaker than him in both Mana and breeding expertise.
Moreover, he'd repeatedly stated he wasn't interested in joining any workshop—this wasn't specifically about Green Sprout Workshop. Yet this Wizard kept pestering him as if he desperately needed this opportunity and would regret missing it.
But that couldn't be further from the truth.
To quickly end this nuisance, Locke stated bluntly, "As I recall, your so-called administrative partner, Mary, only ranked eleventh in the White Wizard Association Breeder Competition preliminaries."
"I ranked fifth."
"I fail to see what's so impressive about Green Sprout Workshop."
"Lancaster, let me repeat myself—I have zero interest in joining any workshop. If you dare block my path again, you'll face the consequences."
Locke immediately sensed Lancaster releasing his Magic Pressure, attempting to overwhelm him through sheer magical force.
However, the Magic Pressure on his body automatically counterattacked, and in an instant, the Magic Pressure of two First Class Wizard Apprentices descended. Within a radius of ten meters centered around them, small stones floated into the air.
The next moment, Lancaster felt as if he had been riding a high-speed vehicle that crashed violently into a steel wall. His body swayed, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
In that moment of his daze, Locke walked straight past him.
Engaging in a Magic Pressure contest with a Wizard whose Magic Pressure surpasses your own is the most foolish thing in the world.
If one avoids direct confrontation, there might still be room to maneuver by relying on Spell experience or other strengths. But in a direct Magic Pressure clash, the one with higher quality and greater quantity of Magic Pressure will naturally prevail.
None of the onlookers reacted in time. They hadn't expected a routine recruitment to escalate into a direct Magic Pressure clash between two First Class Wizard Apprentices.
And surprisingly, the one who gained the upper hand wasn't the partner of the Green Sprout Workshop, but a First Class Wizard Apprentice who had advanced less than half a year ago.
Lancaster stood rooted to the spot, taking several minutes to recover. He had challenged Locke head-on in a Magic Pressure contest, relying on his six and a half years as a First Class Wizard Apprentice compared to Locke's recent advancement.
He had intended to teach this 'insolent' First Class Wizard Apprentice a lesson with the Mana he had accumulated over the years.
Yet, to his shock, it was he who ended up being taught a lesson.
For a brief moment, fear gripped Lancaster's heart—he seemed to have provoked a Wizard stronger than himself. But then he quickly remembered the backing of the Green Sprout Workshop behind him.
Regaining his composure, Lancaster's eyes flickered with unease and burning anger. "How could a newly advanced First Class Wizard Apprentice possess such formidable Magic Pressure…?"
"But just because you have some talent, you dare to disregard our Green Sprout Workshop so blatantly? You truly don't know your place. Our workshop has plenty of official Breeders and First Class Wizard Apprentices."
Noticing the mocking glances and hidden sneers from the crowd, Lancaster felt as though he had just suffered a humiliating defeat in front of everyone.
His face burned with shame.
Instantly consumed by rage, Lancaster turned and shouted at Locke's retreating figure, "Augustine, you'll regret this!"
"By rejecting our Green Sprout Workshop, let's see which other workshop in the academy will hire you!"
"With an attitude like yours, no workshop would want someone as arrogant as you!"
"I'll report this incident truthfully to Senior Mary. Just you wait!"
Without turning around, Locke raised his left hand in the distance and gave a casual wave. "Fine, I'll wait."
As long as Lancaster didn't forcibly block his path or prevent him from leaving, it had nothing to do with him.
He still had to hurry to Essie and Angulo's shop to sign the Memory Ointment contract.
These so-called workshops were merely places where Breeders with insufficient abilities banded together for mutual support, or where powerful Breeders collaborated with other First Class Wizard Apprentices to increase production.
He didn't need to join any workshop at all. In fact, he was somewhat interested in establishing his own Breeder Studio in the future.
By setting up his own studio, he could not only recruit First Class Wizard Apprentices as employees but also gain partial management rights over their plantations.
Locke raised an eyebrow and snapped his fingers, muttering to himself, "After all, they're White Wizards—even their threats are childish."
"Using unemployment as leverage against me? Really."
"If it were Black Wizards, they'd probably just come straight for my life. But since we're from the same academy, there's basically no conflict of interest—just their attitude rubs me the wrong way. So there's really no reason for things to escalate."
Though Locke could have swallowed his pride and wasted half a day politely declining Green Sprout Workshop's job offer to avoid trouble, upon reflection, he realized there was no need.
He couldn't find a single reason to compromise himself.
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