Locke examined the test report in his hands and remarked, "The Vampire Baron has actually overcome the common vampire weaknesses of fearing fire and wooden stakes through the heart."
"At the same time, light cannot kill him, though he retains light sensitivity—bright light will blind him."
"The simplest solution is to use curse-removing potions like the Lesser Emerald Potion to completely purify him. However, Dispelling Magic and Holy Magic can still kill him."
"Moreover, I'm uncertain whether he can resist higher-level First Circle Elemental Magic." Locke fell into contemplation, having just conducted a series of dissection experiments on Howard. The results showed Howard could survive having any part of his body cut—except his head. Severing that would kill him instantly.
Naturally, Locke wouldn't destroy such a rare and valuable test subject. Specimens like this didn't come along often.
"If it were First Circle Elemental Magic, it would likely annihilate him completely in an instant. So even an Undead Body at the Vampire Baron level retains numerous weaknesses," Locke wrote in his report.
"Additionally, they've gained many vulnerabilities ordinary creatures don't have—fear of Holy Magic, Dispelling Magic, Protective Barriers, Undead Repelling Barriers, and so on... This Bloodline modification comes with both advantages and disadvantages."
A hint of disdain flickered in Locke's eyes.
In his view, while these vampire modifications did grant significant power boosts and some surprise-kill traits, their glaring weaknesses were just as prominent as their strengths.
With proper research and preparation, many of these vulnerabilities could actually make them weaker.
The White Wizard Association certainly wasn't lacking in wizards skilled in Holy Magic, Dispelling Magic, and Potionology.
Locke set the completed report aside—it could be submitted to the academy library.
The academy's Public Library had its own reward system. If his report was deemed valuable, it would be scored. Based on the score, he'd receive Magic Stones as compensation, while the report would be made available in the Public Library for all academy wizards to reference.
In a way, this was a form of knowledge sharing.
The Southeast Corner Domain had the highest concentration of academy Public Libraries, along with the White Wizard Association Library established at the association level.
The Association Library and the various wizard organizations' Public Libraries maintained both hierarchical and competitive relationships.
Wizard organizations still highly prized magical knowledge and wouldn't share it lightly with others, striving to preserve their unique magical knowledge—and others' as well.
The White Wizard Association's countermeasure was to establish a patent system, periodically requiring subordinate wizard organizations to partially disclose their Public Libraries to the association. This helped the association compile records of the entire Southeast Corner Domain's White Wizard research achievements.
Previously, the reason Locke hadn't interacted much with the public library system—specifically the White Wizard Association's libraries—was simply because he had only recently been promoted to First Class Wizard Apprentice. There hadn't been enough time.
He didn't have anything to contribute to the libraries that could be converted into resource rewards or reputation gains. As for the money needed for Magic Plant cultivation methods and Potion Recipes, he couldn't disclose them until he had earned enough.
The few products he currently had could easily be made public after he became a First Circle Wizard. That way, he'd earn both money and reputation.
This time, however, he had captured a First Class Wizard Apprentice-level Vampire. The intelligence he could extract from this creature might not be valuable enough for high-level libraries like those of the Association, and the rewards would be minimal.
But for the public library at Lilith's Cottage, it would be a rare resource.
Locke stared at Howard, his eyes burning with excitement.
The value of a Vampire Baron as an experimental subject was immense—something he could never afford to buy, no matter how much money he had.
This Vampire could serve as high-quality experimental material for his Personal Pharmaceutical Room. Both the Lesser Emerald Potion and the Bear Spirit Bile Recipe he had been trying to innovate could be tested on him, yielding a wealth of high-quality experimental data.
Locke tapped his fingers on the operating table. "I don't have to worry about the White Wizard Association's Ethical Review Mechanism."
"In the eyes of the White Wizard Association, Black Wizards have already been stripped of their humanity. No one would object to whatever I do. Besides, this guy tried to kill me."
"And he wanted to destroy my experimental data."
"So making him pay a price is only fair."
Locke genuinely needed such a high-quality test subject.
If he announced publicly that he had a Vampire Baron in his possession, most of the Pharmaceutical Rooms in Lilith's Cottage would immediately approach him, eager to buy or rent it from him.
After all, such experimental subjects were extremely rare—even the Slave Warehouse considered them top-tier goods. If Locke tried to purchase one at this level, he'd likely go bankrupt before succeeding.
The ongoing wizard war between Lilith's Cottage and the Blood Curse Court had further inflated the value of this Vampire test subject.
Locke had no intention of selling it, but renting it out in the future might not be a bad idea.
Locke studied Howard, deep in thought. "Keeping him in the lab is too risky. Sooner or later, his Undead Body will fully recover. It's best to move him to the teacher's Magical Creature Breeding Room—it has the most secure safety measures."
"I'll put him there first and explain it to the teacher later. She'll probably agree."
"If the teacher also needs him for experiments, we can share him."
Inside the Restraint Cage, the Vampire Howard seethed with rage. "You hypocritical White Wizards—your true nature is finally showing!"
"Just you wait. If I ever get out, I'll dig out your heart and your brain and devour them raw, devour them raw!"
Locke paid little heed to his words. In Locke's eyes, the Black Wizards had committed countless atrocities. When they were powerful, they arbitrarily decided the fates of others, so they shouldn't complain when others in power could just as easily determine their own destinies.
...
In Sophia's office.
The White Wizard Sophia smiled and said, "Locke, you've done well. I've indeed been needing a high-level test subject recently."
"The wizard organization from the Star Domain Sea included in my teaching evaluation a requirement to develop a new Potion Recipe targeting undead creatures."
Sophia continued, "You've saved me quite some trouble."
Locke replied, "Then, Professor, I'll leave that Vampire in your care. If you preserve it for me, we can share this high-level test subject."
Sophia smiled faintly. "Agreed."
Such transactions were relatively common among White Wizards, as high-level test subjects made it easier for them to achieve results.
However, high-level test subjects were rather scarce, which was why mentors and students often shared such advanced experimental materials.
Though typically, it was the Wizard Mentor who shared these resources with their students.
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