Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 294 I Want Your Bones
Casso tapped his knuckles on the table, producing a distinctive metallic clanging sound.

His right arm, made of metal and crystal, gleamed under the light, each joint exquisitely precise.

"If you need truly high-purity energy crystals, the stuff brought back by ordinary explorers will probably be far from meeting your requirements."

Kaso said in a low voice, his gaze unconsciously sweeping around the tent:
“I know a special collector who specializes in collecting high-energy matter from the fourth layer and below. He might be able to meet your needs.”

"Oh? Who is it?" Reynolds asked curiously, clearly knowing very little about this "special collector".

A subtle glint appeared in Casso's mutated blue-white eye:

"Azer, an elemental life form that has been transformed by the abyss to the point that it is almost unrecognizable."

Reynolds' expression immediately became complicated:

"That half-mad 'Flash Vortex'? I thought he had long since left the trading world."

"That's how it appears on the surface," Casso said in a low voice.

"But he will still open his collection to certain clients. Of course, the premise is that he thinks you are 'interesting' enough."

Ron noticed the subtle tension in their conversation.

Clearly, this collector named Aize was not an easy person to deal with.

“Elemental life forms?” Ron raised an eyebrow. “I thought they rarely ventured into the Abyss.”

Casso let out a short laugh:
"That's true, but Aize is an exception; he wasn't born an elemental being."

Before becoming an elemental being, he was already a mad abyss explorer.

Later, during an accident while entering the fifth level, his physical body was completely annihilated, but his soul merged with one of his abyssal artifacts, ultimately forming the bizarre form he exists in now.

“If you want to see him, I can lead the way,” Casso continued.

"But I must warn you, communicating with Aize... may not be pleasant."

He hardly uses conventional language, but instead relies on a direct energy fluctuation to transmit thoughts.

This form of communication is extremely uncomfortable for most living beings, and may even cause temporary mental confusion.

Ron pondered for a moment, weighing the value and potential risks of obtaining high-purity energy crystals, and then nodded:

"Lead the way."

Caso handed the remaining routine trades over to an assistant, then led Ron and Reynolds out of the main trading area.

They passed through a narrow passage and arrived at a more remote area of ​​the outpost.

Taking this opportunity, Ron carefully observed the Abyss Explorers around him.

These adventurers almost all bear varying degrees of deformity, forming a peculiar portrait of characters.

A tall woman walked past them.

Her arms were exceptionally long, and her skin had scale-like patterns that shimmered with different metallic sheens depending on the angle of the light.

His gaze lingered briefly on Ron, his eyes revealing a scrutinizing look at the unfamiliar face.

“Zania, from the Mercury School,” Reynolds introduced in a low voice.

"I was once abandoned by my mentor due to my aptitude. A few years ago, I joined the Abyss Exploration Team and have now become a well-known material hunter. Because of the huge gains from the Abyss Exploration, I successfully exchanged for the 'Key Potion' and was promoted to a formal wizard."

Her mutation, known as 'Twisted Skin,' allows her to absorb and redirect physical impacts to some extent; it's a mutation unique to the Abyss.

Two brothers were haggling over prices at a stall not far away.

They had similar faces, but one of them had his right cheek completely covered by some kind of black crystal, and his eye sockets shimmered with an eerie purple light.
The other person appeared normal, but when speaking, he revealed overly sharp teeth, and his voice had an unnatural echo effect.

"The Nicol Brothers, a well-known duo in the Abyss exploration community," Reynolds continued.

"My brother's 'crystallization' has lasted for five years, always remaining at half-face. Such a suppressive force is extremely rare among explorers."

The younger brother's vocal organs and corresponding neural mutations enabled him to communicate with certain creatures on the second level of the abyss, providing them with information inaccessible to ordinary people.

“Interesting,” Ron murmured, his gaze sweeping over the various deformed features in the crowd.

"Based on my previous understanding, these mutations are not entirely random, but are related to the explorer's personality, talents, and even subconscious preferences."

“Of course, that’s part of the allure of exploring the Abyss.” Reynolds nodded in agreement, clearly having benefited from it himself.

"The influence of the abyss does indeed have a certain 'selectivity.' It is not simply about destruction or distortion, but rather amplifies the deepest qualities of those affected, only manifesting them in a distorted way."

He pointed to a corner where an old man with a peculiar face stood.

His skin was like wrinkled tree bark, and his eyes were sunken in their sockets, emitting a faint green light.

Several peculiar plants surrounded the old man, and they seemed to sense his presence, their vines swaying gently as if expressing their affection.

“Montero, ‘the plant whisperer’,” Reynolds explained.
"He was once an ordinary gardener in a small town on the edge of the abyss, with no extraordinary talent for botany."

But in an accident, he was captured by a mutated plant and stayed inside it for three whole days.

When he was discovered by the explorers, he had already undergone a deep distortion.

Now, he can establish some form of communication with plant-based creatures in the abyss, making him an indispensable guide for the exploration team.

Ron's gaze swept over the explorers, a complex feeling welling up inside him.

These people are both victims of the abyss and, to some extent, beneficiaries.

They paid an unimaginable price in exchange for special abilities that could not be obtained through conventional means.

"Despite being full of distortion and chaos, this group has shown astonishing vitality and creativity," Ron murmured in admiration.
"They not only adapted to the mutations, but also turned them into an advantage, creating a unique set of survival rules."

"That's precisely the paradoxical allure of the abyss." Reynolds nodded in agreement.

"It is both the source of destruction and the place of creation;
It brings both distortion and the possibility of transformation.

The extraordinary systems of the Huan Yuan Continental Group are all inextricably linked to the Abyss.

We fear it, yet we depend on it; we study it, and at the same time, we are changed by it.

Even the usually taciturn Casso joined the conversation at this point:
"The abyss gives, and it takes."

This is an eternal and unchanging exchange of equivalents.

Some people gain power, but pay the price with their appearance;
Some people gain knowledge, but at the cost of their health;
And then there are those who...gain incredible abilities, but at the cost of their humanity.

After passing through several narrow alleyways, the three arrived at a hemispherical building that stood out from the surrounding architecture.

The entire building has no windows, and its exterior walls are a nearly transparent bright blue with countless tiny energy patterns flowing across the surface, like the blood vessels of a living thing.

“We’ve arrived.” Casso stopped in his tracks. “The Rippling Dome of Azer.”

Ron gazed at the peculiar building and activated his "Supernatural Recognition" skill to analyze its structure.

In his unique perspective, the entire building presents a complex network of energy.

Each stripe serves a specific function, acting as both a protective barrier and a medium for communication.

"No door?" Ron asked, noticing that there was no obvious entrance on the building's surface.

“For elemental life forms, physical ‘doors’ are meaningless.”

Casso stepped forward and placed his metal right arm against a specific spot on the building's surface:
"The way to enter is to communicate directly with his consciousness."

As Caso moved, ripples spread across the building's surface, and an oval opening slowly formed on the wall.

The light emanating from it is soft and mysterious, like moonlight refracting through the water.

"He agreed to see us, which is incredibly lucky."

Casso breathed a sigh of relief and gestured for Ron and Reynolds to follow:
"Once inside, try to remain calm and don't show excessive surprise or fear at anything you see. Azer... is very sensitive."

The moment Ron stepped into the opening, he felt a wave of energy spread from the soles of his feet throughout his body, as if he had passed through some kind of invisible barrier.

The world as seen from that perspective was completely transformed.

The interior space is much more spacious than it appears from the outside. The entire dome is devoid of any traditional furniture or decorations, consisting only of countless crystals suspended in mid-air.

These crystals vary in size and shape; some resemble standard geometric shapes, while others are twisted into indescribable forms.

Each crystal emitted a faint glow, illuminating the entire space.

The most striking feature is a huge energy vortex in the center of the room.

It was not a physical entity, but a spiral structure made of pure energy.

The color transitions from a deep blue at the bottom to a bright white at the top.

The vortex spun continuously, emitting a humming sound that brought a strange sense of peace.

"Aize." Kaso bowed slightly to the vortex, his voice filled with obvious respect:
“I have brought two guests with me. As I mentioned before, they have a special need for high-purity energy crystals.”

The vortex's rotation speed increased slightly, causing the light in the entire space to flicker a few times.

There was no sound, but Ron suddenly felt a message establishing a direct connection with him:
New visitors...rare...sensing your fluctuations...complex and interesting...

These fragments of thought lack linguistic structure and are more like direct impressions of consciousness, yet their meaning is still understandable.

At the same time, Ron also felt a slight discomfort, as if something was gently scraping the surface of his brain.

"That's his way of communicating."

Reynolds explained in a low voice, his expression slightly pained, clearly experiencing similar discomfort:

“Elemental life forms rarely use language to communicate, and the abyssal mutation of Azeroth has exacerbated this characteristic.” Suddenly, an energy tentacle split off from the center of the vortex and slowly reached out towards Ron.

It had no physical form, but was merely a stream of energy that was more concentrated than its surroundings, with a blurry eye shape at its tip.

You...are very interesting...your soul is unusual...a wizard...unconventional...your growth...

Energy tendrils hovered around Ron, seemingly observing or analyzing something.

With his keen perception, he was able to sense that this observation was not aimed at his surface consciousness, but rather at some deeper level of scanning.

However, being able to detect the abnormality in his soul... that's something only a great wizard like Yutel could usually do.

It's no wonder that Caesar and Reynolds both spoke of each other with a sense of awe; this mutated elemental life form truly has its terrifying aspects.

"I need high-purity energy crystals, especially those from the fourth layer or deeper."

Ron narrowed his eyes, offering no response, and directly stated his purpose while simultaneously reinforcing his mental barrier to prevent excessive intrusion:
"Cassor said you might have it."

Direct... Honest... Good... Energy crystals... Plenty... But exchanging them... Requires an equivalent...

The vortex split apart again, this time branching into dozens of energy tentacles, each holding a crystal at its end.

These crystals were brought before the three people and suspended in mid-air for them to examine.

Ron was immediately struck by the quality of the crystals.

Each piece emanated a strong and pure energy fluctuation, far exceeding any energy crystal he had ever seen before.

They come in various shapes and colors, but what they have in common is that they all have a flowing, almost living energy pulse inside.

"This is indeed a product of the fourth layer."

Reynolds said in a low voice, his eyes gleaming with the light of a professional appraiser:

"Judging from energy density and purity, they are probably among the top-tier batches."

Ron carefully examined each crystal, using "Superhuman Recognition" to assess its quality and potential uses.

One piece caught his attention in particular—a pale purple crystal shaped like an olive.

Its internal energy flow forms a peculiar spiral pattern, like a miniature galaxy.

“This one is interesting.” Ron pointed to the crystal: “It has an unusually high energy density and is self-circulating.”

A ripple emanated from Azer's vortex, and Ron could sense a feeling akin to surprise emanating from it:

Keen eyesight... Rare indeed... That's the "Breath of Chaos"... Fourth level... Special cave... Self-circulating energy... Extremely rare...

"Price?" Ron asked bluntly.

No magic stones needed... an exchange is required... an equivalent... a piece of your bone...

Ron frowned: "Bones?"

Reynolds and Cassel exchanged a tense glance.

Casso explained in a low voice:

“Sometimes Azer will propose some… unconventional exchanges. Usually not in the literal sense, but in some kind of symbol or metaphor.”

Memory...bones...the framework that supports the soul...I can sense that you have established a connection with higher dimensions...I want that bone.

Ron pondered this peculiar request carefully, trying to decipher its true meaning.

Within the vortex, fragmented thoughts continued to be transmitted to him:

It's just sharing with me... not plundering... and you won't lose anything...

"You want to share this part of my memory in exchange?" Ron finally understood the other party's intention.

The center of the vortex flickered, as if nodding in confirmation.

It seems that during my meditation on "The Star Eater's Ramblings," my connection with those living stars and even the "devourers" attracted them.

This did give him a slight sense of relief.

“How can I make sure you only take the parts of the memory I allow?” he asked cautiously.

The energy vortex rippled again, this time forming a complex symbol that hovered in front of Ron:

Contracts... ancient rules... fair trade... breach of contract results in mutual loss...

Reynolds whispered a reminder:
"This seems to be a symbol of an elemental contract, which, once signed, cannot be violated by either party, otherwise they will face serious consequences."

Ron weighed the risks and benefits.

If we could obtain this crystal, the energy replenishment of the substitute puppet would be a huge leap forward.

The price of the exchange—a non-core memory—seems acceptable in the long run and is also within my control.

“I agree, but I have the right to full control over the shared memory content,” Ron finally decided.

The vortex emitted a pleasant ripple:

Wise...fair...choices of both sides...achieving equilibrium...

Azer's energy body began to reorganize, with the central part coalescing into a more complex form.

In Ron's special vision, the shape vaguely resembled a blurry human face.

It resembles a human, yet also possesses characteristics of elemental life forms, but is so distorted that its original appearance is almost unrecognizable.

Reach out... and touch the contract...

After confirming through his extraordinary ability that the contract was harmless, Ron took a deep breath, slowly extended his right hand, and touched the floating symbol with his fingertips.

Instantly, a powerful surge of energy coursed through his body, forming a shimmering golden pattern on his skin.

It then disappeared quickly, as if it had been absorbed into the bloodstream.

At the same time, his thoughts were gently pulled, and memories surged forth like a tide.

That memory was of my recent connection with "Hermit Star," which contained complex information about this ancient fragment.

It seems the other party doesn't dare to provoke "The Devourer," which aligns with his thinking.

Selection complete... Exchange begins...

For a moment, Ron felt a slight tingling in his head, followed by a brief blank.

At the same time, the "Breath of Chaos" crystal floated towards him and landed steadily in his palm.

The moment the crystal touched his skin, Ron felt a surge of stimulating energy coursing through his body.

Like a shot of adrenaline, it invigorated him.

Transaction complete... Fair... Satisfactory...

The vortex in Azer gradually calmed down, and the suspended crystals slowly returned to their original positions.

Ron carefully put the acquired crystal into his spatial bag, while quickly checking his mental state to ensure there was no other damage to his consciousness.

"This is truly... an extremely rare and successful trade."

Casso said in a low voice, his tone tinged with surprise:

“Aize is rarely so ‘generous’ to people he has just met.”

Reynolds' expression also conveyed disbelief:

“I’ve seen many wizards come seeking a deal, and most of them leave empty-handed. The few who succeed often pay a much heavier price. It seems Azer is really interested in you.”

You... may leave now... but you're welcome to come again... especially you... the holder of the ancient fragment...

Azer's last thought echoed in Ron's mind.

It seemed eager for the three of them to leave quickly.

The oval opening reappeared on the building's surface, signaling the three to leave.

Stepping out of the "Ripple Dome," Ron felt a subtle sense of relief.

Although Azer did not show any obvious malice, that direct mental communication style was indeed tiring and uncomfortable.

After the three left, the special building immediately activated its isolation barrier.

The fluid inside twitched and convulsed repeatedly, as if it were in a state of extreme pleasure.

“Thank you for the introduction.” On the other side, Ron nodded his thanks to Cassel.

“You’re welcome,” Casso smiled, his metal right arm gleaming in the sunlight.

"If you have any further transaction needs, feel free to contact me. The outpost holds similar material exchange meetings every quarter. If you are interested next time, let me know in advance, and I can reserve some good items for you."

After saying goodbye to Cassel, Reynolds led Ron toward another, more important area.

"Now that you have obtained the necessary basic materials, why don't you come and take a look inside our observation station?"

Reynolds said mysteriously:

"Some things might be of unexpected help to your research."

(End of this chapter)