Chapter 36: Cultivation Again, News of Blood Jade

As the three reward orbs surged in, the quantitative buildup from previous rewards finally reached a threshold. This time, it wasn't just more of the same—it was a leap. A real, qualitative transformation.

Char had never felt such a powerful sensation before.

He could clearly feel magic coursing through his veins like a winding stream. With every thought, the flow of magic would subtly shift in response. It was as if the magic was alive, dancing in rhythm with his will. If his thoughts were strong enough—or if he gripped his wand and chanted a spell—the magic would answer. It would bend reality in ways science could never explain.

This time, the sensation lasted for a full ten-plus seconds before it faded. When Char finally came back to himself, he even felt a strange sense of loss, like waking from an incredible dream.

But soon, his attention was pulled toward the system panel.

There, on the glowing interface, the ability [Enhanced Magic Perception] gleamed with new brilliance. The once dull icon was now wrapped in a soft bronze glow.

Bronze-level Enhanced Magic Perception!

Char took a deep breath, feeling a rush of emotion."It took so much effort to get the Lumos Charm to Bronze level," he muttered.

"But Enhanced Magic Perception leveled up just from harvesting a few rewards?"The Planting System truly was powerful.

A glimmer of confidence flashed in his eyes.

With this system, his naturally low magical talent no longer felt like a curse. Sure, the growth was gradual, but it was growth nonetheless. Slowly planting Marguerites and Goldfish Plants, step by step—one day, his magic power and perception might reach a level never before seen in the wizarding world.

After all, magical talent could be split into two major aspects: magic power and magic perception.

Magic power determined the raw strength behind spells. When two wizards cast the same spell, the one with greater magic power would produce a more potent result. It also allowed a wizard to learn and cast more complex spells with less effort.

Take Harry, for example. In terms of theoretical knowledge, he could never compete with Hermione, even if he gave it his all. But in the latter stages of the original story, his spell power had already surpassed hers. That gap was thanks to his magic power.

Magic perception, however, was a bit different.

While it still influenced spellcasting, it wasn't as noticeable in duels or direct confrontations. Instead, it shone in fields like Alchemy, Potions, and Herbology.

With high magic perception, a Herbologist could intuitively sense the condition of a magical plant. A Potioneer could feel the magical reactions occurring within a bubbling cauldron and instinctively know how to adjust the brew.

Otherwise, how could someone like Snape have rewritten so many potion procedures in his school days? For a wizard with average perception, it might take years of trial and error to arrive at the same conclusion a genius like Snape could grasp in a single moment.

Right now, Char felt—truly felt—what it was like to be a "genius."

Of course, even with the upgrade to Bronze-level, his magic perception was still relatively poor. Among the first-year students at Hogwarts, he'd probably rank near the bottom.

But still—it was a start.

Not quite an upgrade from a slingshot to a rocket launcher, but definitely a step up. Maybe from a slingshot to a musket.

To test it out, he casually cast a Lumos charm."Tsk."

"Smooth."

"Silky."He could feel every thread of magic flowing through him. Each strand was clear, distinct. If he'd had this level of magic perception earlier, the Lumos spell would've ranked up much faster."When the hardware improves, the results really do change."A thought surfaced.

Since his magic perception had improved, perhaps he could try cultivating the Patronus Tree again?

The rewards from the tree were enticing—worth every effort. With that in mind, Char hurried back to the greenhouse, retrieving the cultivation materials Professor Sprout had given him.

First, he made sure to calm himself. The Patronus Tree seed was sensitive, easily affected by emotion. Only when he was certain his mood wouldn't interfere did he carefully remove the seed.

He tapped his wand lightly and let happy, joyful thoughts fill his mind.

Last time, he hadn't been able to tell if this mental shift actually had any magical influence.

But this time—he could feel it.

His magic became lighter, more playful, like bubbles rising through clear water. And that change in tone seemed to ripple into the seed. It stirred faintly, its dormant vitality slowly awakening.

Char's eyes widened in wonder."So this is what it means when Herbologists say magic perception matters."He gently placed the seed into a potion bottle and focused his senses.

The potion's magic mixed with the magic of the seed, creating a complex, layered web of energy. For someone like Char, with his just-upgraded perception, it was still too overwhelming. After a few minutes of struggle, he gave up on fully analyzing it.

Instead, he relied on instinct and followed the vague flow of energy.

He tapped the bottle three times with his wand, then drew three clockwise circles.

"Protego—Arboris!"

The seed trembled.

The once-clear potion began to turn green—deep emerald green. The transformation spread rapidly, enveloping the bottle in color. It was like watching a gem liquefy.

One second.

Two.

Three.

Ten seconds passed.

Then, the vivid green began to fade. The seed fell still once more.

Failed.

But Char didn't frown.

He looked energized, even satisfied.

Although the end result hadn't changed, the process had clearly improved. This time, he'd felt the shift. He had taken a step closer to success. And most importantly, he saw the path forward."I'll need at least Silver-level Magic Perception to properly complete this stage."

"And to fully cultivate the Patronus Tree? Probably Gold-level."Char was only at Bronze now, far from Gold. But he wasn't in a hurry."By the end of the school year, I should have a shot at growing my first Patronus Tree."

"Let's take it slow."Just then, a familiar figure entered the greenhouse.

It was Professor Sprout.

In her hand was a petri dish holding the variant of the Lumos Mushroom that Char had discovered: the Blood Emerald.

Her face was lit with excitement."Char! About that Blood Emerald you found—

I've pretty much figured out its characteristics!"Char's heart leapt. So fast?

As expected of Aunt Sprout. She was a true Herbology master.

Giving the Blood Emerald to her had been the right call. If he'd tried to research it himself, chances were he'd have ruined it by now.

He looked at her with eager eyes.

But suddenly, Professor Sprout froze.

Her gaze fell upon the potion bottle still in Char's hand—the one containing the trembling Patronus Tree seed."This..."

"Char…"

"Did you do this?!"

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