Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 296 Above the Tower
He tried to recall his recent experiences, but he couldn't quite grasp that vague fragment of memory.

No matter how hard you try, that feeling is always like a reflection in water; it will shatter and dissipate as soon as you get too close.

Ultimately, he had no choice but to put this problem aside for the time being and refocus his attention on the task at hand.

"It feels like it involves someone, but I can't quite remember who it is."

Moreover, it seems that this matter is given very low priority in one's subconscious, which is really strange..."

“Reynolds, let’s go check out that ‘Reynolds Collection’ first.”

After finishing his thoughts, Ron spoke to Reynolds, who was still somewhat reserved beside him.

Reynolds seemed relieved and pleased to be back in his role as guide: "Greetings, follow me."

Standing in the busiest corner of the trading area, Ron's gaze swept over the bustling crowd around him.

This is the meeting point between abyss explorers and outside wizards.

The raw materials here are transformed into wealth and knowledge, influencing the operation of the entire extraordinary world.

"Ruisi Collection" is an inconspicuous little shop located in a secluded spot in the southeast corner of the trading area.

The shop is small, with a sign made of starlight crystal hanging at the entrance, on which the shop name is engraved, and each letter emits a faint blue light.

As you push open the door, a scent mingled with the aroma of ancient books and insect-repelling spices hits you.

The store was much more spacious inside than it appeared from the outside, clearly due to the use of space-expanding magic.

Various unusual items are displayed on wooden shelves, ranging from ordinary abyssal ores to mysterious biological specimens.

The shop owner was an old man whose left eye was covered by a black eye patch, and whose right arm was covered with a layer of fine scales, clearly a trace of abyssal mutation.

He was organizing some documents behind the counter when he heard the doorbell and looked up, his sharp eyes immediately locking onto Ron.

"Welcome, Wizard."

The old man's voice was deep and hoarse, bearing the marks of years of exploration in the abyss:

"I am Morgan, how can I help you?"

Ron stated his purpose directly:

“I need two memory crystals suitable for beginners to practice with, and Professor Yutel recommended your shop.”

Upon hearing Yutel's name, Morgan's attitude noticeably warmed up:
"Ah, a guest recommended by the old professor! Then I'd better bring out the really good stuff."

He took out an exquisite wooden box from under the counter and carefully opened it.

The box was lined with deep purple velvet, on which were neatly arranged a dozen memory crystals of various shapes.

"These are low-risk samples that have undergone preliminary screening, making them ideal for beginners in historical research."

Morgan explained:
"Each piece has a basic energy stabilization seal, which can ensure that harmful energy will not be released suddenly during the normal analysis process."

Ron carefully observed the crystals, activating his "Supernatural Detection" and "Hunting Evil" skills to try to sense their energy fluctuations and potential risks.

In his unique vision, each crystal exhibits a distinct energy pattern, some as calm as still water, others as vibrant as flames.

After several minutes of careful selection, he finally chose two memory crystals that looked the safest and had relatively clear energy patterns.

One piece is light green and shaped like a leaf; the other is light blue and shaped like a teardrop.

"Good eye," Morgan praised.

"Both of these pieces were obtained from the upper part of the fourth layer. Their energy fluctuations are relatively mild, making them very suitable for beginners."

"Price?" Ron asked.

"Considering Professor Yutel's recommendation, how about we price both at one and a half magic stones for you?"

Morgan offered a relatively reasonable price.

The transaction was complete. Ron carefully placed the two memory crystals into a specially made isolation box and put them into his spatial bag.

The results this time have exceeded expectations.

They not only obtained all the materials needed to cultivate the autophagic slime, but also a high-level energy crystal and two memory crystals, laying the foundation for future research.

As they prepared to leave the outpost, Reynolds led Ron to a simple restaurant on the edge of the trading area.

This shop looks ordinary, but its customers are almost all explorers, each bearing various signs of abnormality.

"The food at this 'Ember' restaurant is a bit...unique," Reynolds remarked as he took his seat.
"They are a blend of some harmless abyssal materials, with a strange taste, but they are extremely beneficial for restoring mental strength. People who have returned from exploring the abyss usually choose to dine here to relieve their fatigue."

The store manager was a kind-looking middle-aged man.

His left hand has been completely transformed into a crystalline structure, refracting light into a peculiar rainbow effect.

He skillfully poured drinks with his right hand, which emitted a faint fluorescent glow, for the two of them.

"The boss's signature 'Glow Tea' is said to be made from the first and second layers of 'light algae', which can temporarily enhance mental sensitivity."

Reynolds explained, taking the first sip.

Ron cautiously tasted it, and a peculiar spicy flavor burst on his tongue.

It then transitions into a subtle sweet and sour taste, ultimately leaving a refreshing aftertaste in the throat.

In addition, he could feel a gentle energy slowly spreading along his esophagus, making his entire mental world exceptionally clear.

"A truly unique experience," Ron commented, expressing great interest in this kind of spiritual nourishment.
"This energy conversion method is similar to some of the theories I have studied."

His food arrived quickly.

A plate of seemingly ordinary roasted meat is sprinkled with strange spices whose shapes are indistinguishable;
A semi-transparent salad, the leaves changing color with the light;

There was also a bowl of soup steaming with strange black vapor.

The taste of the meal was hard to describe with conventional words.

Sometimes it's so spicy it brings tears to your eyes, sometimes it's so refreshing it feels like ice and snow melting, and most of the time it's a complex and indistinguishable mixture of sensations.

Strangely, this unusual taste is not repulsive; instead, it brings a peculiar sense of satisfaction, as if it touches upon some primal memory deep within the taste buds.

After the meal, Ron said goodbye to Reynolds and boarded the airship to return.

On the airship, he kept thinking about what he had seen and heard that day, especially the unique mutations and adaptations of those abyss explorers.

"The abyss is not only a source of knowledge, but also a unique philosophy of survival."

Ron concluded in his mind:

"When faced with inevitable change, people do not resist it in vain, but learn to make use of it, and even turn disadvantages into advantages. This adaptability is admirable."

He sorted through the materials he had purchased, ensuring that each item was properly packaged.

In particular, he designed three layers of protection specifically for memory crystals:
The innermost layer is a suppression rune array, which limits its energy fluctuations;

The middle layer is a mental barrier, blocking possible mental erosion;

The outermost layer is conventional physical protection to prevent accidental damage.

"For now, we'll keep it in the isolation cabinet and wait until we achieve some results from the analysis activities organized by Professor Utter and our historical research capabilities improve before attempting to analyze it."

Ron pondered.

The airship pierced through the clouds, moving further and further away from the outpost in the abyss.

Through the porthole, he took one last look at the blurry outline, and his mind began to formulate his next plan.

The contribution points that have been received so far mainly come from the paper on mobile simulated combat devices, totaling 1200 points.

This is still far from the lecturer qualification required to successfully enter the Abyss Observatory, which requires at least 5000 contribution points.

"However, I still have two papers that are almost finished..."

The first article is about "Common Explorations in the Improvement of Advanced Potions", which analyzes the energy structure optimization methods of more than ten common potions and is expected to bring 600-1000 contribution points.
The second article focuses on "the benign mutation promotion mechanism in the blood vessel modulation process," which is based on his innovative discoveries in modulation practice and is expected to contribute between 800 and 1500 points.

In addition, there are monthly basic teaching contributions and the training results of elite group members.

It is entirely feasible to accumulate 5000 contribution points within six months.

"Herman and Liss are progressing quite quickly, especially Herman..."

Ron smiled as he thought of his strongest student.

Herman is nearing the threshold of advanced apprenticeship and could enter the ranks of candidate wizards at any time.

Once he is officially accepted into the talent pool by the Crystal Spire, Ron, as his mentor, will also receive a corresponding contribution point reward.

"Six months is enough." Ron confirmed the timeline in his mind:

"By then, I should have accumulated enough resources and prestige to have a smooth entry into the observatory."

He went through the materials he had obtained from Yutel to gain a deeper understanding of the station's workflow and job responsibilities.

According to the data, the staff at the observation station are mainly divided into two categories: research-oriented and exploration-oriented.

Research personnel are responsible for analyzing and studying samples brought back from the abyss. They mostly work in relatively safe environments and rarely go directly into the abyss.

These positions require extremely high levels of professional competence; each researcher who is approved to join must demonstrate outstanding talent in a specific field.

In exchange, they enjoy higher security and better treatment.

This includes only needing to work at the observatory for half a month each month, and spending the rest of the time returning to the school to continue teaching and research.

The exploration team is responsible for field investigations and sample collection. They often need to go deep into the abyss and face various unknown risks.

Although the danger is greater, the rewards are also greater.

Each successful exploration mission yields a wealth of materials and firsthand research data, which are invaluable assets.

"A research-oriented approach suits my current situation better," Ron decided.
"It would be best to focus on bloodline modulation and material analysis, as well as the formulation of some specialized potions, so that I can make the most of my strengths."

At the same time, he was also thinking about how to use the substitute puppet to make up for his lack of exploration skills.

If the substitute puppet can be charged to 100%, its "avatar pose" function will be activated.

This allows puppets to perform some high-risk exploration tasks in one's place.

"This way, we can take advantage of both working modes, ensuring safety while obtaining first-hand information from the abyss."

Ron nodded in satisfaction, and the goal was within reach.

The airship pierced through the thick clouds, and the magnificent sky city in the center became faintly visible. Brilliant magical light shimmered in the distance, like stars in the night sky.

He stood by the window, gazing at the city that represented the highest academic achievement of the Huanyuan Continental Group, his eyes fixed on the towering spires.

"I wonder how much longer it will take before I can stand atop that very top of the tower..."

………………

In the laboratory late at night, the only light source comes from the magic lamps floating in mid-air.

They emitted a soft blue light, illuminating the tools and materials on the workbench just right without adversely affecting the light-sensitive abyssal samples.

Ron stood in front of the lab table, his expression focused.

The table was neatly arranged with various Abyss materials brought back from the outpost:
The core "void slime" was placed in a test tube, and subtle ripples constantly appeared on the surface of the black liquid, as if countless tiny lives were pulsating within it.

The "mutation catalyst" is a tube of powder that glows with purple fluorescence. Each particle rotates slowly and spontaneously inside the container, defying the normal laws of gravity.
There was also the crystal from the jade shop, which, although not as pure as the one obtained from Aize this time, was also rich in a high concentration of abyssal energy.

As for the "Breath of Chaos" that Azer exchanged with him, he planned to wait until he had used up this piece of Abyss Crystal before activating it.

"Overall, the quality of these materials is quite satisfactory."

Ron lightly tapped each item with his fingertips, comparing its energy properties with previously predicted data.

Due to his mastery-level "supernatural identification" ability, he was able to perceive that the energy structure of these abyssal substances was fundamentally different from that of ordinary supernatural materials.

The latter typically presents as regular and stable geometric shapes, while the energy patterns of abyssal matter resemble a twisted maze, constantly changing and unpredictable.

“Alan, retrieve the ‘membranous phage’ I requested,” Ron instructed, looking up.

The tree spirit standing in the corner of the laboratory nodded gently, its verdant branches extending toward a specially designed refrigerated cabinet on the wall.

The cabinet door opened silently, and a cold mist flowed out like a light veil.

Ailan carefully used the vines to take out a spherical container, inside which was a mass of grayish-white viscous substance.

This mass of matter appeared lifeless, yet it occasionally emitted a faint, almost imperceptible pulse, like a dying heart.

This is a standard "membrane phagocytosis" produced by the Crystal Spire Biological Laboratory, currently in its lowest activity stage during its shelf life.

Ron took the container, placed it on the central workbench, and tapped the container wall lightly with his fingers:
"This thing is essentially an undirected embryo with extremely high plasticity, but it has almost no self-awareness or defense mechanisms."

He turned to Ailan: "Get the recorder ready, I'm about to begin the first phase of guided shaping."

The tree spirit nodded, its branches expertly adjusting the crystal recording ball beside it.

Ron took a deep breath to calm himself.

Unlike the simple, mass-produced slimes on the market, true autophagic slimes possess continuous and stable self-regulation capabilities and greater plasticity, enabling them to quickly transform their form and function according to their owner's needs.

For bloodline modifiers, this is not only a powerful assistant, but also an ideal medium for conducting various experiments.

"Starting the first phase: basic activation."

Ron held a silver needle in his left hand and a test tube in his right, and began to perform a complex procedure.

The tip of the silver needle glowed with a pale blue light, and under his precise control, it slowly pierced into a specific point inside the container.

With each needle insertion, he would pour a drop of specially treated "void viscous liquid" from a test tube and precisely inject it into the needle hole.

This process is extremely delicate; the amount, location, and timing of each drop of mucus must be precise.

Even the slightest deviation could cause the entire process to fail, or even trigger a dangerous backlash of energy.

As the slime was injected, the originally grayish-white slime gradually turned a deep grayish-black.

Fine lines have also begun to appear on the surface.

"Energy activity increased, and the cell division rate increased threefold."

Ron stared at the monitor next to him with satisfaction: "Phase one is progressing well."

For the next two hours, he repeated this precise operation.

Various pre-prepared solutions of abyssal materials are injected into the mud in a specific order and proportion.

Each step was accompanied by an active energy fluctuation, and the air in the entire laboratory was filled with a peculiar sulfurous smell, a special scent resulting from the interaction between abyssal energy and conventional magic.

"Master, the activity level of the slime has reached the warning line."

Ailan pointed to the flashing red indicator light on the monitor.

Ron nodded and immediately adjusted his strategy.

He took out a bottle of pale golden liquid and carefully dropped three drops onto the surface of the soft mud.

This is a "soothing agent" that he modified himself, which can temporarily suppress the excessively active energy fluctuations of abyssal matter, buying time for subsequent operations.

The moment the golden liquid touched the soft mud, the entire container of substances contracted violently.

Then it unfolded like breathing, and the originally rapid energy fluctuations became gentle and rhythmic.

"Very good, now we move on to the second phase: structural reorganization."

He took out several pieces of crystalline material, which were energy anchors he had prepared specifically for this experiment.

Each crystal possesses unique energy characteristics, which can guide the slime to develop in a predetermined direction.

The crystals were placed one by one around the container, forming a precise six-pointed star array.

Ron placed his hands on the surface of the container and began to channel his mental energy to activate the array.

“，ǎψ (Wake up!)”

This mantra was created by him based on the ramblings he made during his meditation.

It can assist in the control of mental power, helping the caster to more accurately grasp complex energy flows.

It can be considered an advanced application of rambling, but it is still in its infancy. However, judging from its development trend, it may become a kind of "word magic" in the future.

As the incantation was chanted, the crystal gradually lit up, shooting out six beams of light that penetrated the container and converged within the clay to form a complex three-dimensional structure.

Under this guidance, the slime begins to reorganize, forming a preliminary energy cycle system inside. This is one of the core characteristics that distinguishes autophagic slimes from ordinary slimes.

"Energy cycle initiated, core stability is good."

Ron nodded in satisfaction: "Now we can proceed to the third stage: trait implantation."

This is the most crucial part of the entire training process, and also the part where Ron truly unleashes his creativity.

He selected several distinctive samples from those abyssal materials.

Including the several fragments of abyssal crystals with different properties brought back from the fourth layer, he ground them into powder and mixed them with his own blood.

Blood is the best carrier, capable of perfectly fusing the practitioner's will with the materials, forming a stable and lasting connection.

"According to my design, this autophagic slime should have three core functions..."

As Ron prepared the mixture, he pondered in his mind:
"First is 'bloodline analysis,' which can quickly identify and break down any biological tissue it comes into contact with, extracting its energy characteristics and genetic information."

This is crucial for research on blood vessel modulation.

He injected the first mixture into the upper part of the slime, and the liquid was immediately absorbed, forming a miniature analytical array inside.

"Secondly, there is 'energy conversion,' which converts excess or harmful energy into a usable form. This is especially important for processing deep-sea samples or unstable experimental products."

The second mixture was injected into the middle layer of the slime, and it quickly formed an energy network inside, similar to a digestive system.

"Finally, there is 'shape malleability,' which allows it to quickly change its shape as needed."

Whether it's splitting into multiple smaller units or transforming into specific tool shapes, it can be easily achieved.

When the third mixture was poured into the bottom layer, the slime immediately exhibited amazing flexibility, flowing and deforming inside the container, as if testing its newly acquired abilities.

“Perfect.” Ron was somewhat excited.

Over the next few hours, he continued to make more precise adjustments and reinforcements to ensure that the three core functions could coexist harmoniously and not interfere with each other.

As dawn broke in the east, I finally finished all my work for the day.

The clay in the container had completely turned dark black, with fine silver veins covering its surface.

Inside, some shimmering points of light can be faintly seen; those are the implanted energy cores.

"The first stage is complete. Next, it needs to be left to stand for three days to allow it to stabilize and adapt on its own, and gradually develop consciousness during this process."

He carefully placed the container into a specially designed incubator:

"Three days later, I will proceed with the fourth stage of imprint implantation."

The tree spirit, who had been silently accompanying them, nodded and recorded the final data:

"The master's technique is more refined than before, and the energy utilization efficiency has increased by at least 15 percent."

"Thanks to the multidimensional transformation theory provided by Hermann."

Ron answered while washing his hands:
"That kid really has an amazing talent for theoretical research. The energy node control methods he mentioned in his paper inspired me."

After washing his hands, he glanced at the time and turned to Ailan:

Is there anything else to do today?

"There's an elite group's lecture this afternoon, and we need to prepare a batch of potions for this evening."

Ailan replied, "Also, Dale said her scales are a little itchy, so you might need to help her adjust her energy circulation."

"It must be starting to develop again and needs to molt."

Adjusting her crystal tank to a low-temperature setting and adding some 'tranquil blue algae' should alleviate the symptoms.

After thinking for a moment, Ron said, "I'll give her a full check-up once I'm done with what I'm doing."

Before leaving the lab, he took one last look at the incubator.

The future autophagic slime is quietly growing within it, marking another important milestone in his bloodline modulation journey.

"The next plan will have to be put on hold for now, and we should prioritize the energy extraction from the substitute puppet."

Ron's gaze drifted toward a sealed chamber on the other side of the laboratory.

That was the special work area he had prepared for his stand-in puppets.

(End of this chapter)