Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 276 Ancient Fragments

The night was as dark as ink, and the stars were as numerous as diamonds.

Ron stood on the balcony, gazing up at the sky.

The stars twinkled faintly in the velvety black night sky, like countless cold eyes looking down on this tiny world.

He was now trying to combine the astrology Eve had taught him with his own "planetary projection" technique.

Ron took out a polyhedral crystal and gently placed it in his palm.

This crystal has an unremarkable exterior, but it contains subtle energy fluctuations inside, as if it imprisons a miniature starry sky.

This is a tool provided by the other party, which can help beginners establish a safer connection with the stars.

"It's best to be cautious. Let's try a shallow connection first," he muttered to himself.

He straightened his posture, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing rhythm.

My body gradually relaxed, but my mind became increasingly clear.

The mental energy flowed along a familiar path, and soon reached a state of deep meditation.

But unlike before, this time he wasn't simply absorbing stellar energy.

Instead, it tries to find a deeper connection—a bridge between reality and nothingness.

The warnings in "An Introduction to Astrology" still resonate:
Never look directly into those 'dark areas'.
Never respond to strange fluctuations in starlight.
Never try to understand those 'talkative ramblings' that suddenly pop into your head.

Ron kept these principles in mind, carefully extending his consciousness toward the stars, cautiously avoiding the more profound void.

He allowed his senses to touch each star as lightly as a dragonfly skimming the water, neither lingering too long nor prying too much.

After a careful search, he finally focused his attention on "Hermit Star".

This solitary star occupies a special place in ancient star charts and is said to have some mysterious connection with wisdom and hidden knowledge.

The initial contact was like touching a light source through a thick curtain—blurred and distant.

Ron gently extended his mental energy, as if dipping his finger into icy lake water, cautiously testing the temperature.

As mental energy continued to be invested, that invisible curtain seemed to be gradually thinning.

In a certain moment, an unprecedented connection was suddenly established.

It is not "communication" in the traditional sense, but a more primitive and essential kind of intuition.

Ron felt his mental world tremble violently, as if countless incomprehensible pieces of information were flooding into his mind at the same time.

It is not a specific language or image, but rather an indescribable fragment and echo.

Like the scattered light and shadow reflected when a mirror breaks, it cannot be deciphered, yet it cannot be ignored.

The starry sky appeared distorted and deformed in his perception, as if it were undergoing a dimensional expansion.

The originally independent celestial bodies began to form a complex and bizarre network of nodes centered on "Hermit Star".

Each node emits energy fluctuations at different frequencies, yet they are interconnected in some way.

Ron carefully "lit up" several nodes related to the "Hermit Star," drawing a mysterious rune made of starlight in the darkness.

The technique was precise and cautious, for fear that even the slightest deviation would lead to unpredictable consequences.

The moment the last node was activated, he felt an invisible energy fluctuation coming from the depths of the starry sky.

At that moment, perception was suddenly stretched to an unbelievable breadth...

He seemed to be both standing on the balcony of the crystal spire and floating in the depths of the universe;

It is both myself at this moment and as if I have traversed countless light-years of time;
They are both observers and the observed.

In this state of consciousness beyond conventional understanding, Ron saw a terrifying truth...

"Hermit Star" is not just an ordinary star, but the remnant of some indescribable existence.

A colossal, ancient entity, now reduced to tiny fragments in its decay.

Now only this small part remains, anchored at the edge of the material universe, unconsciously radiating residual energy.

Deep within the stars, certain syllables and symbols that could not be described in words flooded into Ron's consciousness.

These are not language, not thoughts, not even any ordered information.

They are merely fragmented pieces of consciousness, like torn books, leaving only unrelated words and punctuation marks.

"Knowledge Observer: The Cage Lights Are About to Go Out"

The fragments of consciousness lack logic and coherence, yet they contain a chilling pressure.

His mind could barely withstand the pressure; his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his breathing became rapid and disordered.

Ron realized that his guidance had gone astray, and he began to consciously adjust it.

Just as Eve told him:
Simply maintaining one-way observation without attempting interaction or understanding can usually prevent direct harm.

Clenching his teeth and calming his mind, he continued to passively receive information.

Try to control yourself from thinking about the meaning of those fragments, from trying to piece them together into meaningful information, and just let them flow through the surface of your consciousness like water.

The "star projection" property exhibits a stunning effect in this peculiar connection.

With each heartbeat, more pure stellar energy flowed into Ron's body, far exceeding the absorption efficiency during his usual meditation.

[Special synergy detected: Astrology (Skill) + Star Projection (Advanced Trait)]

[Astrology (Beginner) Experience Points +1]

[Astrology (Beginner) Experience Points +1]

[Astrology (Beginner) Experience Points +1]

……

[Current Progress: Astrology (Beginner 6/50)]

As the notification appeared, a cool, stream-like energy flowed through Ron's body, carrying away his mental fatigue and tension.

The connection gradually weakened and eventually broke down completely.

The starry sky returned to normal, the distortion and sense of dimension disappearing as if it had never existed.

Ron slowly opened his eyes and found himself still standing on the balcony, his clothes soaked with cold sweat.

"The adventures within certain limits have yielded pretty good results..." He sensed the changes in the magic power within his body.

The magic pool not only expanded faster than usual, but its quality also subtly improved, as if it had been infused with some kind of purer energy.

The gains went far beyond that; he felt that his understanding of "Hermit Star" had deepened, as if he had built a more solid bridge between the spirit and the starry sky.

【Experience points for Mastering "The Star Eater's Whispers" (1)】

【Experience points for Mastering "The Star Eater's Whispers" (1)】

[Current Progress: The Star Eater's Ramblings (Mastery 23/500)]

At the current pace, he should be able to light up the first star node symbolizing the "Hermit Star" in another week or two.
This will complete the first stage of the Morning Star level and grant the special astrological effects of the "Hermit Star".

Ron calmed his erratic breathing and began to think about another problem:
Since the astrology of "astrologers" can be linked to the "planetary projection" characteristic of meditation.

Then, can the historical research skills of a "historian" be linked to his existing system?
Once this thought arose, it spread like wildfire and could not be suppressed.

Historians and astrologers are theoretically considered to be two complementary and ancient professions.

One peers into the past, the other gazes at the stars; only by combining the two can the full picture of the universe be revealed.

Eve's words still echoed in his mind:

History is not simply a record of past events, but rather an active node in the long river of time.

Ron walked to the desk, sat down, and took the booklet Eve had given him from the bookshelf.

Reread the contents and carefully study the basic techniques of historical perception.

Unlike traditional methods that rely on archaeological excavations or document verification, historians use a more mysterious method of intuition: directly contacting "historical nodes" to obtain pure historical information.

"If the method is not appropriate, it can easily attract the attention of the time hounds."

He began to carefully consider:
"The key is how to maximize returns while keeping risks within an acceptable range."

Ron's gaze swept over the various collections and research materials in the study, and suddenly stopped on a small box in the corner.

It contained several "rare and precious artifacts" that he had collected.

A bold hypothesis formed in his mind:
Perhaps his historical research skills could help him uncover the deeper secrets of these artifacts?
"Rare artifacts" and "glorious heritage" are just as their names suggest, bearing the imprint of ancient civilizations.

If we could use historical research techniques to directly "read" the historical information contained in these items, wouldn't we be able to glimpse their true origins and potential functions?
Once thoughts begin, they become unstoppable.

Ron quickly took out several rare and precious artifacts he had collected from the box:
A pocket watch guarding time, ever-changing illusions, and a substitute puppet.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to start by trying out a stand-in puppet.

Compared to the other two, this artifact is clearly "younger" and perhaps easier to sense the historical information within it.

“Historical research needs an ‘anchor’ to connect the observer with a specific historical event.”

Ron recalled the description in the booklet:

"Some antiques are the most ideal anchors, as they have witnessed past events and retain the most direct traces of time."

He placed the puppet on the table, gently placed his right hand on it, and began to adjust his breathing and mental fluctuations, attempting to enter the special sensory state described in the booklet.

This state is different from ordinary meditation, and also different from the starry sky connection we just experienced.

It's more like projecting consciousness into the long river of time, becoming a pure observer.

At first, there was only chaotic darkness.

It felt like standing in the dead of night without any starlight, surrounded by endless nothingness.

Ron remained patient and continued to deepen his senses. Slowly, some blurry images began to emerge in the darkness.

Like an underwater bubble rising slowly, yet extremely unstable, it will break and dissipate at the slightest carelessness.

Initially, they were just scattered fragments:
A dimly lit basement. The hoarse sound of incantations. The process of a puppet being slowly sculpted by a carving knife.
And there are also those feelings of malice and greed, like sticky sludge clinging to the surface of memory.

As the perception deepens, these fragments gradually connect, forming a more complete scene.

Ron saw a thin old man meticulously carving a puppet by candlelight, chanting incantations as he smeared some kind of black liquid on the puppet's joints.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his body was swaying precariously; he was clearly suffering a severe backlash from the curse.

This puppet was a tool he created to escape death.

The scene continues to change, and after the puppet is completed, it is injected with some kind of black energy, gaining initial vitality.

The image became blurry, as if some force was interfering with the perception of history.

Ron tried to explore further, but felt his intuition begin to send him strong warnings.

...If we go any further, we might attract the attention of those "hunting dogs".

Seeing this, he had no choice but to decisively withdraw his consciousness and end this historical perception.

He opened his eyes and saw the puppet in front of him lying quietly on the table, looking no different from before.

[Historical Research (Beginner) Experience Points +1]

[Historical Research (Beginner) Experience Points +1]

[Historical Research (Beginner) Experience Points +1]

……

[Current Progress: Historical Research (Introduction 8/50)]

"Although the gains were limited, they were enough to verify the feasibility of this path."

Ron began to sort through the historical fragments he had just acquired.

Although the true origin of the stand-in puppet has not been fully revealed.

But this attempt has proven that his "historical research" skills can indeed help him gain a deeper understanding of the nature of rare and precious artifacts.

The origins of the substitute puppet may be far darker than he imagined.

Because of this successful experience, Ron decided to try for two more rare and precious artifacts.

He first picked up the Thousand Transformations Phantom, but when he tried to use historical perception, he encountered strong resistance.

That was not resistance from the river of time, but resistance from the ever-changing illusions themselves.

It sensed Ron's spying and proactively blocked its own historical information.

"Ancient artifacts with self-awareness are indeed difficult to decipher."

Ron was not surprised and instead picked up the last item—the Time Guardian's pocket watch.

This antique is exceptionally mysterious and unique even among all his collections.

Its structure is so ingenious that it seems as if it were not made by human hands.

Even now that his "superior identification" skill has reached the mastery level, he still finds it difficult to analyze effectively.

Ron placed his palm on the pocket watch, entering the historical sensing state once again.

However, when his spiritual power touched the pocket watch, it was like a stone sinking into the sea, unable to stir up any ripples.

It wasn't encountering resistance, nor was it being blocked; it was simply that there was absolutely no reaction whatsoever.

It was as if his spiritual power had passed through the pocket watch and fallen into some infinitely deep void.

He increased his mental energy input, attempting a deeper level of perception, but the result remained the same.

The pocket watch was like a bottomless well, swallowing all explorations without giving any response.

"A difference in power level." Ron quickly concluded:
"The Time Guardian's pocket watch is clearly beyond my comprehension. With my current level of historical research skills, I can't even make a ripple."

This attempt once again confirms the fact that even among rare and precious artifacts of the same category, there are still obvious differences in their class.

The pocket watch guarded by time is undoubtedly the most valuable of his three antiques.

Skill synergy detected:
Historical research + exceptional identification
1. Improved efficiency in analyzing rare and ancient artifacts through historical research
2. Superior recognition enhances the accuracy of capturing historical information.

The prompts on the panel greatly encouraged Ron. This skill synergy was exactly what he had been hoping for, proving that he had not strayed from the right path.

"The direction is correct, but more patience is needed."

He concluded by saying:
"Historical research, like astrology, is a profound field that requires long-term accumulation; haste makes waste."

He continued to use small doses of historical intuition on the substitute puppet.

Each time, new pieces of information are obtained, gradually piecing together a more complete history of this artifact.

He learned that the substitute puppet had changed hands many times, and each owner had left bloody marks on it.

After the puppets left the hands of their original maker, they were picked up or plundered by several wizards or other abyss explorers.

Each change of ownership was accompanied by violence and death, as if the artifact itself was cursed.

As his research deepened, he increasingly felt the "weight" and spiritual pollution that knowledge brought.

After each historical experience, I would have a splitting headache for a period of time, and even experience brief hallucinations or confusion.

The negative impact is particularly evident in those historical episodes filled with bloodshed and violence.

"It seems the research process in this area will have to be prolonged," Ron reminded himself.
"Both astrology and historical research require long-term, stable accumulation; seeking quick success and instant benefits will only exacerbate spiritual pollution."

He slowed down the pace of both studies, conducting only limited practice.

More time was devoted to two other important things:

Writing their own academic papers and preparing for the "Rainbow Ring" competition.

(End of this chapter)