Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 297 The Hermit's Knowledge

The substitute puppet lay quietly on the experimental table.

The surface runes shimmered with a dim luster under the faint magic crystal light.

Ron stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over the carefully arranged energy isolation array around him.

The risks of this experiment far exceed those of ordinary research; any energy leak could trigger unpredictable chain reactions.

“This guidance must be conducted with extreme caution. Remember to keep the monitoring equipment and the highest level of isolation and protection at all times.”

He spoke to the tree spirit beside him, holding the abyssal crystal he had obtained from the jade gambling shop.

It was a dark purple crystal with irregular edges and corners, its surface covered with fine vein-like patterns.

When light shines from a specific angle, something seems to be flowing or wriggling inside, as if the crystal itself is a miniature ecosystem.

"According to my calculated energy threshold, if the energy contained in this abyssal crystal were released all at once, it would be enough to raze this workshop to the ground."

Ron's tone was calm, but his eyes were unusually focused:
"It will take at least two to three weeks to fully extract and stably convert its energy."

"Does Master intend to guide us in stages?" Ailan asked softly, the branches swaying slightly.

"Yes."

Ron nodded and took a set of sophisticated alchemical tools from beside the workbench:

"First, energy guiding runes need to be engraved on the crystal surface to establish a micro-stable energy cycle, allowing energy to be released at a controllable rate."

He picked up a fine carving knife and carefully began to carve on the surface of the abyss crystal.

Each time the blade tip touches the crystalline surface, it causes a faint but clearly perceptible ripple of energy.

Through "supernatural perception," Ron can clearly see how those energies flow and coalesce inside the crystals, and how they try to resist external interference.

"The activity of the abyssal energy is higher than imagined."

He frowned slightly, but his hands continued moving without stopping.
"They seem to have a certain degree of 'instinctive response' and will actively resist external interference."

As the rune network was gradually completed, a subtle glow began to appear on the crystal surface.

That's energy confined to a fixed channel trying to release itself.

Ron took out a small crystal container, placed it in the center of the experimental table, and connected it to the substitute puppet with a special silver wire.

The device is ingeniously constructed; it is an "energy guiding device" that Ron personally built over nearly two weeks.

The container is engraved with complex energy filtering runes, which can capture and purify the pollutants in the abyss energy, retaining only the pure energy essence.

"Begin the first guidance test."

He took a deep breath and gently touched the rune-covered surface of the crystal with his right hand.

A spiritual force, like a thin thread, probed into it, guiding the first wisp of energy to flow along the predetermined path.

In an instant, purplish-black energy overflowed from the crystal surface, forming a thin energy thread in the air, like ink spreading in clear water.

The energy strands did not rush directly towards the target container, but instead hovered and twisted in the air, as if resisting Ron's guidance with a sense of self.

"As expected of high-purity abyssal crystals."

Ron's face was grave, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

"Even the first wisp of guidance is so difficult."

He increased his mental output, and at the same time, his right hand drew a complex rune in the air, instantly activating the auxiliary array that had been prepared on the experimental table.

Silver light surged from the array, like an invisible net, gradually enveloping and restraining the twisted energy thread, and finally forcibly guiding it into the crystal container.

When the first wisp of energy was successfully captured, the air in the entire room seemed to become heavier.

Inside the crystal container, the wisp of purplish-black energy slowly rotated, bound by silver runes.

Gradually decomposed and filtered, it eventually transforms into a pure, dark purple energy stream.

Meanwhile, the core rune on the chest of the puppet connected to the container also glowed with a faint purple light.

This indicates that it has begun to absorb this transformed energy.

"The situation has stabilized for now."

Ron breathed a sigh of relief, but his eyes remained alert:

"This is only one percent of the energy of the entire crystal. To fully extract it, at least fifty to sixty cycles are needed."

He stood up and stretched his shoulders, which had become stiff from maintaining the same posture for so long:

"Furthermore, the interval between each operation must not be less than 24 hours, otherwise it will lead to energy accumulation too quickly."

Ailan listened quietly, carefully recording the various parameters of the experiment with her emerald green twigs:

"Does the master intend to fully automate this process?"

"No, that's too dangerous."

Ron shook his head and replied:
"The instability of abyssal energy far exceeds that of conventional energy. I need to personally monitor each guidance, at least for the first ten cycles."

If it runs stably, a semi-automated boot process can perhaps be set up later, but I will still need to check it periodically.

He looked at the substitute puppet, whose purple light had become even and stable, indicating a good energy absorption state.

"Within two months, combining this abyssal crystal and that 'Breath of Chaos' should be enough to charge the substitute puppet to 100% energy."

Ron calculated the time in his mind:

"At that time, the 'Avatar' function will be fully activated, which will be a brand new beginning."

…………

In the days that followed, Ron devoted most of his time to three main tasks:

Teaching, conducting various experiments during critical periods, and meditation practice.

Every morning, he would teach his apprentices in the classroom of the Crystal Spire, imparting knowledge of potion-making and bloodline manipulation.

In the afternoon, I focused on guiding the energy of the Abyss Crystals and cultivating and strengthening the Autophagic Slime, as well as configuring various potion orders and studying weapon techniques with Aksa.
During dusk and night, they engage in in-depth study of enchanting and practice inscribing runes, and every few days they conduct training in historical research.

In the dead of night, when the stars shine brightest, he enters a deep meditative state, cultivating "The Star Eater's Ramblings" in his consciousness space.

At the same time, through the guiding techniques of "astrology", we can continuously deepen our connection with the starry sky.

This almost harsh schedule meant he had less than two hours of rest each day, but it brought about significant progress.

The energy guidance experiment of the Abyss Crystal is progressing smoothly, with a charging progress of about 0.5% per day, and the energy indicator of the substitute puppet has risen to 85%.

Of course, his main focus was on the breakthroughs he made in his meditation practice.

It had been about half a year since he was promoted to the Morning Star level, and tonight was the best time for him to try to break through.

According to astrological calculations, a rare celestial phenomenon will occur tonight – the "Hermit's Eye".

Under this special celestial phenomenon, the "Hermit Star" will resonate with the ground in a unique way.

He stood in the center of the meditation room, looking up at the starry sky through the crystal dome, searching for the location of "Hermit Star".

Night falls, stars cast their shadows...

The starry sky is exceptionally clear tonight, without a single cloud.

"Perfect timing."

Ron slowly sat down, took a deep breath, and began to adjust his breathing rate to match the meditation rhythm recommended in "The Star Eater's Ramblings".

As consciousness gradually sank in, the sounds of the outside world faded away, replaced by a strange humming, seemingly the whispers of the stars. In the space of consciousness, that vast sea of ​​stars reappeared.

Countless stars twinkled in the darkness, forming a vast and intricate star map.

A star, noticeably larger and brighter than the others, was emitting a soft silver light—that was the projection of the "Hermit Star" in his consciousness.

Ron's consciousness drifted gently towards that bright star, like a breeze.

The light of the "Hermit Star" grew stronger as he approached, but it was not dazzling; instead, it carried a reassuring warmth.

He began to try to establish a deeper connection with this star.

Using the guiding techniques he learned through astrology, his spiritual power transformed into countless tiny energy threads, gently circling the "Hermit Star" in an attempt to perceive the mysteries it contained.

At first, the stars seemed indifferent, simply emitting a steady light.

But as Ron continued to experiment, a subtle change began to emerge.

The starlight began to twinkle in a certain rhythm, as if responding to his call.

“Every star has its own unique ‘language,’ and communicating with it in the right way can indeed build a deeper connection.”

His mental energy adjusted to the rhythm of the twinkling stars, and the frequencies of the two gradually synchronized.

Just as this tacit understanding reached its peak, a silver-white beam of light suddenly shot out from "Hermit Star," heading straight for Ron's core consciousness.

The beam of light was neither scorching nor cold, but it carried an indescribable sense of antiquity, as if it had traversed endless time and space, carrying some distant memory.

In an instant, a vast and unfamiliar torrent of information rushed into his consciousness, almost drowning him.

That's not knowledge or memory in the conventional sense; it's more like a pure perception and understanding, an intuitive grasp of the essence of the world.

Most surprisingly, this information contains a great deal of secrets about the "Hermit Star" itself.

Ron's consciousness seemed to travel through the river of time, returning to a distant past.
In the dark and cold universe, an enormous entity is silently roaming.

Its form is difficult to describe in human language; it is neither a physical entity nor energy, but rather a form of existence that exists between all things.

If I had to describe it, I might say it's like a cloud of mist made up of countless points of light, or a huge network woven from thoughts.

This being—the "Hermit"—is one of the oldest observers in the universe.

It wanders among galaxies, collecting all kinds of knowledge and mysteries of the universe, but never interferes, simply observing the birth, death, rise and fall of everything.

At some unknown moment, a terrifying being descended—the "Devourer".

It was a terrifying entity that transcended dimensions, and its mode of existence was completely different from that of the "Hermit".

If the "Hermit" is the guardian of knowledge, then the "Devourer" is the natural enemy of all higher-dimensional beings.

It feeds on other beings, absorbing the characteristics of those it devours into itself.

Even ancient and powerful beings like the "Hermit" appear so fragile in the face of the "Devourer".

When the Devourer’s attention turned to the Hermit, the latter immediately sensed the danger and began a long escape.

The Hermit travels between galaxies, trying to shake off the terrifying pursuer.

However, the "devourer" is faster and seems to be able to predict the "hidden one's" actions through some kind of ability that transcends space.

Ultimately, during a leap, the Hermit was caught up by one of the Devourer's tentacles.

Those were not tentacles in the conventional sense, but rather an extension of the will of the "devourer," an existence that transcended matter.

When this "tentacle" came into contact with the "Hermit's" true form, a battle beyond comprehension erupted.

The collision of two cosmic entities caused the surrounding space to begin to distort and shatter.

Several galaxies were destroyed by the aftermath of this conflict, turning into cosmic dust.

Despite the Hermit's best efforts to resist, the Devourer's power far exceeded expectations.

Its "tentacles" began to erode the "hermit's" body, gradually disintegrating it.

The hermit's consciousness began to shatter, and countless fragments of knowledge scattered and flew everywhere, like a magnificent rain of thoughts.

Ultimately, the core of the "Hermit" was devoured by the "Devourer," but only a part of it remained.

...Perhaps it was the purest fragment of consciousness that escaped and drifted in the void.

Over a long period of time, these fragments of consciousness coalesced into a stable structure, eventually transforming into a special star—the "Hermit Star" of today.

It is both a cosmic entity and a vehicle for thought; it belongs to this universe, yet transcends conventional understanding.
As fragments of this ancient memory flowed through Ron's consciousness, he felt an unprecedented shock.

This information was far beyond his current cognitive scope; each concept was so vast and abstract that his consciousness could barely contain it.

But it was precisely this experience of transcending boundaries that allowed his mental strength to achieve a qualitative leap.

He could feel that his mental world was expanding rapidly, and the original limitations were being broken down one by one.

[Current progress of "The Star Eater's Whispers": (Mastery 30/500)]

[Mental strength has reached a new critical value: 5.5]

[Morning Star Level: First Phase Breakthrough Completed]

[Hermit Star has been activated, gaining the additional trait: Hermit's Insight]

The Hermit's Insight:
1. Improved thinking speed, significantly enhanced comprehension and memory of knowledge, and an additional advantage when analyzing complex information.
2. The level of mental entanglement has been increased, enhancing the power of mental attacks.

3. Possesses a certain ability to anticipate danger.

This chain reaction of growth was so wonderful that Ron was immersed in an unparalleled sense of accomplishment.

At the same time, his mana pool is also undergoing an unprecedented expansion under the effect of the "Star Projection" property.

In this short period of breakthrough, his magic power attribute increased to 4.6, which would normally take several months to achieve.

A completely new perceptual ability also awakened within him—"The Hermit's Sense," a unique ability bestowed upon him by the "Hermit Star."

He felt his perspective had changed without him even realizing it.

Not only the material world, but also the flow of energy, fluctuations of thought, and even the subtle traces of time become clearly visible.

This perceptual ability, combined with "supernatural recognition" and "elemental perception," transforms into a more essential and profound insight, significantly enhancing his inspiration.

Ron was immersed in this newfound power, enjoying the various changes brought about by the breakthrough.

However, just as he was about to end his meditation and return to reality, a subtle sense of crisis suddenly welled up in his heart.

The feeling was faint, yet incredibly clear, as if something was secretly watching him, scrutinizing his every move.

He immediately became alert, refocused his consciousness, and began to carefully explore the surrounding space of consciousness.

At first, he found nothing.

The vast expanse of stars remained calm, and the "Hermit Star" continued to emit a soft light, showing no signs of anything amiss.

But as he activated his newly acquired "Hermit's Insight" ability, a disturbing discovery surfaced.

In a corner of the space of consciousness, there is a tiny, almost imperceptible crack, a million times thinner than a hair.

This crack did not belong to his consciousness structure, but was some kind of external trace.

It was a miniature passage connecting his world of consciousness to some unknown dimension.

Even more frightening is that an unusual energy fluctuation is slowly seeping in through this crack.

It was an energy related to time itself, ancient and cold, carrying an indescribable predatory aura.

(End of this chapter)