Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 378 The Road to Promotion
Yutel's ethereal projection sat behind the desk made of living skeletons.

A silver light flowed slowly around him, like the afterglow of an ancient galaxy.

Ron sat opposite him, gently stroking the newly fused magic sword in his hand.

"Your gains this time are far greater than I expected."

Yutel's voice is like the deep water of an ancient well, carrying the profound weight of time.
"Not only did it achieve a perfect fusion of Soul Steel and the Master Sword."
Moreover, the changes in your aura tell me that you have come into contact with some... very special beings.

The old professor's silver eyes carefully examined Ron.

That gaze seemed to see through to every secret deep within his soul.

Ron nodded, neither denying nor explaining in detail:
"We did encounter some...unexpected situations. But overall, the gains outweighed the risks."

"A wise answer."

Yutel nodded in satisfaction, and the silver light surrounding the phantom became even gentler:

"Knowing what to say and what not to say during exploration of the abyss is an important survival skill in itself."

He looked out the window at the distorted abyss, his voice growing deeper:
"Child, do you know? Before the Great Abyss appeared, it was much more difficult for us wizards to condense the ethereal body than it is now."

Ron immediately focused his attention and activated "Hermit's Insight" to capture any valuable information that might be obtained next.

He knew that such an opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge was extremely rare.

Do you know when the abyss first appeared?

Yutel's question seemed simple, but Ron could sense the deeper meaning behind it.

“The early Second Age, the period of the Great Cataclysm,” he replied, which is what most historical records state.

"That's right. What I'm talking to you about today is related to the Great Cataclysm..."

Yutel's phantom began to weave a complex timeline chart in the air:
“Before the Great Cataclysm, it was much more difficult for the divine wizards of those ‘primordial eras’ to condense ethereal remains than it is now.”

The chart shows the various attempts by ancient wizards to condense ethereal remains.

In those blurry images, Ron saw an ancient wizard meditating alone in the wilderness of another world;

I saw warriors battling unknown creatures in a dangerous cave;
There are also those eccentric scholars who modify themselves in extreme environments.

"Back then, we could only grope our way forward in various other worlds."

Yutel's voice carries the weight of history:
"Some people travel to the Elemental Plane of Fire to forge the basic structure of the Void in the magma;

Some people venture deep into the realm of the Snow Giants, where they condense their spiritual essence in absolute zero;
Others choose time turbulence, seeking inspiration in chaotic fragments of time.

"What is the mortality rate?" Ron asked, showing great interest in this hidden history.

"Not even one in ten survives." Yutel calmly presented a shocking figure:

"Moreover, even if a ethereal body is successfully condensed, its quality varies greatly."

Most of the undead bear obvious environmental imprints, limiting their potential for further development.

The charts continue to reveal the truth of that brutal era.

Countless geniuses turned to ashes in the extreme environment of another world, and only a very few lucky ones were able to successfully advance to become great wizards.

"But the Great Cataclysm changed everything."

Yutel's tone grew more serious, and the surrounding light began to flicker:
"That was a deliberately created... special place."

This statement made Ron frown slightly.

"Deliberately manufactured? You mean..."

"The appearance of the abyss is not a natural phenomenon."

Yutel directly revealed this astonishing truth:
"It was a rehearsal site created by certain supreme beings to train... a force to invade another world."

The air fell into a deathly silence after those words.

The abyss is not a naturally formed dangerous area, but rather some kind of... training camp?

"A supreme being?" he asked cautiously.

"An existence at a higher level than the Witch King."

Yutel's answer was vague and cautious, clearly indicating that the topic touched on certain taboo areas:

"Their purpose and motives are beyond our comprehension at this level."

But the result is clear... the abyss provided us with an unprecedented environment for growth.

The phantom waving reveals more details:
"Each level of the abyss simulates a different type of alien environment."

The blood-red shallows on the first and second levels correspond to a chaotic world rife with war;
The third layer of black sand and wasteland simulates a desolate plane with scarce resources;
The fourth layer, the Twisted Forest, recreates the uncontrolled ecosystem of overpopulation…

"And at a deeper level..."

Utter's voice became even more mysterious:

"It also simulates some extreme environments that we cannot even imagine."

A world where time flows backward, a space where cause and effect are reversed, and even a chaotic dimension where the laws of physics are completely rewritten.

Ron was deeply moved; this macro perspective elevated his understanding of the Abyss to a whole new level.

"So... what is the relationship between the condensation of ethereal remains and the abyss?"

"Inseparable".

Yutel's answer was resolute:

"The essence of the Void is a highly condensed magical structure."

To achieve sufficient condensation, long-term compression and training in extreme environments are necessary.

He paused for a moment, a complex light flashing in his eyes:
"And the abyss provides not only an environment, but also... time."

"time?"

"The deeper the abyss, the slower the flow of time relative to the main world."

Yutel explained, while also showing a complex time-flow rate comparison chart:

"The fourth and fifth layers are okay, the difference isn't too big, but the flow rate difference increases significantly in the sixth layer."

Spending a day on the sixth level could feel like more than a week in the main world.

Below the ninth level, a day inside might be equivalent to several months or even a year or two outside.

This information corroborated the information I had previously obtained from Lance's notes.

Lance's research also achieved breakthroughs in the unique environment of the abyss.
"The speed of power transformation will also increase exponentially with the change in flow velocity."

Yutel continued to explain this amazing secret:
"Compressing magic in the deepest abyss is far more efficient than in the main world."

One or two months of intensive cultivation might be equivalent to decades or even longer of effort in the main world.

Ron began to understand why wizards placed such importance on exploring the Abyss.

This is not just a means of acquiring resources, but also a shortcut to rapid growth.

"But what's the price?" he asked sharply.

"Pollution, madness, death."

Yutel calmly listed the risks:

"The environment of the deep abyss is far more dangerous than you can imagine."

It's not just a physical threat, but also an erosion on a psychological level.

Many wizards lost themselves in the deepest abyss, and even those who miraculously returned were no longer the same people they once were.

His voice became more serious:

"Moreover, the difference in the flow of time will bring another problem..."

When you return to the main world after spending years in the deepest abyss, you will find that the people you knew may have grown old or died, and the world you were familiar with may have been completely changed.

This involuntarily reminded Ron of his family back in the Kingdom of Farouk.

My elder brother Edmund, my father, and Andrei...

If I choose to delve into the abyss for long-term cultivation, will they still be there when I return?

"Wizards who can survive in the abyss for a long time often possess an adaptability that surpasses that of ordinary people."

Yutel's gaze refocused on Ron:

"Judging from your performance this time, you possess this very valuable quality."

“So…” Ron had already vaguely guessed the other party’s implication.

"When you reach the peak of the Moon-level and begin to prepare for the condensation of the nascent form of the Void, the Abyss will be your best choice."

Utter gave clear advice:
"There, you can complete magic compression with maximum efficiency, laying the most solid foundation for the construction of the Void."

The Abyss can also provide the special environment and energy support required for the condensation process.

He paused for a moment, his tone becoming even more serious:

"Even the 'special ritual' for advancing to the rank of Grand Wizard needs to be performed on certain specific levels of the Abyss."

It contains an essential power that the main world cannot provide.

Ron quietly digested this valuable information, and his plans for the future began to become clearer.

The abyss is not only a place to obtain resources, but also an essential path for him to reach a higher level.

"However, it is too early to talk about these things now."

Yutel's tone softened again:
"First, you need to reach the Moon Rank, then accumulate enough experience to adapt to the Abyss, and finally, you can start long-term training."

"I see, Professor."

Ron nodded seriously, then remembered something else important:

"What about Euphemia Pelle, the other participant in this expedition? How is she?"

Yutel's expression became subtle upon hearing the name.

"Ah, that interesting little girl..."

There was something indescribable in his voice:
"She returned to the observation station on the third day after you left, bearing the same aura and mark of an Abyss Apostle."

"An apostle's aura?" Ron asked, feigning surprise.

"Characteristics of Asmond, the Grand Duke of Blood and Tears".

Yutel explained in detail:

"Judging from the intensity of their auras, her contact with that apostle must have lasted quite a while."

The old professor's ghostly figure drifted slowly through the room:

"However, considering the characteristics of her bloodline, such contact is also reasonable."

The creations of the Blood King possess a natural affinity for vampire apostles.

How is she doing now?

"I was quarantined and tested for a whole week, and all my indicators were normal."

Yutel replied:

"I gave her a temporary identity as a copper ring explorer, and for now everything is being done according to the rules and regulations."

There are no additional restrictions on promotion; it all depends on individual ability.

He paused for a moment, a playful glint in his eyes:

"She behaved quite... well. She spent most of her time on ordinary material gathering tasks in the first three levels, and when she wasn't on any tasks, she focused on meditation and spell practice."

"I occasionally go to the library to look up some information related to bloodline modulation, but it's all publicly available basic content and doesn't involve any sensitive information."

Ron understood the underlying meaning in Yutel's words.

Such proper behavior, however, seems somewhat deliberate.

What is your assessment of her?

"A dangerous person trying to prove he is harmless."

Yutel's answer was quite direct:

“She’s smart; she knows how to act ‘normal’ under surveillance.”

The old professor's gaze refocused on Ron:
“I sense that you want to discuss something with me about her, but that’s not an area I should be interfering in.”

He waved his hand, and the light around the phantom softened slightly:
"You can think about and handle whatever decisions you make yourself."

After everything you've been through, you've proven yourself. Trust your judgment and your abilities.

"but……"

Yutel added, with a kind reminder in his voice:
"If you want to have any in-depth... conversations with her, it is recommended to do so at the observatory."

Here, my ethereal power is at its strongest, providing ample...protection.

A deeper meaning flickered in his eyes:

"The illusory mark I left on her can shield most external interference within the observation station's range."

Even the Blood King would find it difficult to monitor her actions from here.

This information stirred something within Ron.

It seems that Yutel had anticipated Aiden's surveillance capabilities and had taken corresponding protective measures.

"Thank you for the reminder, Professor."

"No need for formalities."

Yutel waved to interrupt his thanks:

“Your growth is beneficial to the entire observatory, and providing the necessary support is what I should do.”

Ron thought for a moment, then mentioned another reason he had come:
"In addition, I would like to request permission to return to the Central Lands next week to handle some important matters."

“Of course,” Yutel readily agreed.

"There's a scheduled airship flight the day after tomorrow. I'll arrange for you to board. Do you need any special transport permits?"

"If possible, we hope to be able to transport some experimental equipment and materials."

Ron thought of his mobile workshop:

"I also have two assistants who need to come with me to the Central Land."

“No problem.” Yutel nodded. “I’ll arrange a dedicated cargo hold. Given your current position, this is all within your reasonable authority.” Just as the two were discussing the details, there was a soft knock on the office door.

"Please come in." Seeing that the important matter had been discussed, Yutel replied casually.

The door slowly opened, and a slender female figure appeared in the doorway.

It was Chloe, the blind girl from the astrology club.

She still covered her eyes with black silk, and her long hair, with its gray and blue highlights, was eye-catching.

She paused slightly when she "saw" that there were other people in the office.

"Excuse me, Professor, I didn't know you had guests here..."

The girl's voice was as soft as a feather, but it carried a subtle tension.

"It's alright, Chloe."

Yutel smiled gently:

"Let me introduce you. This is Ron Ralph, a senior researcher at the Abyss Observatory and the second-in-command of the Nova Project."

He turned to Ron:
"This is Chloe Star Voice, a genius astrologer from the Western Frontier Astrological Society. She has come here specifically to consult me ​​on some advanced astrological knowledge."

Ron stood up and gave Chloe a standard wizard's salute:
"It's an honor to meet you, Miss Chloe."

Upon hearing the other person's voice, Chloe's body trembled slightly.

The tremor was very slight, but Ron's keen observation still caught the detail.

"I am also... honored... to know you..."

Her response was slightly stammering, and her voice was even softer than before.

A slight flush appeared on her face beneath the black silk, revealing her inner turmoil.

"Ron is about to leave, so it's good that you two get to know each other briefly."

Yutel sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere and offered a way out at the opportune moment:

"Little Chloe, your astrology class will begin shortly."

"Then I'll take my leave." Ron nodded to the two of them.

"Professor, thank you for your guidance today. Miss Chloe, I hope you enjoy your studies at the observatory."

After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door.

As she passed Chloe, the girl slightly stepped aside to let her pass, but her "gaze" followed Chloe's figure the whole time.

Even after the door was completely closed, Chloe remained standing there, seemingly still immersed in the brief encounter.

"Little Chloe?"

Yutel's voice snapped her out of her daze: "What's wrong? You seem a little... distracted?"

"Ah...it's nothing, Professor."

She shook her head hastily, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her inner turmoil:
"But... there was a very peculiar aura emanating from that wizard Ralph just now... which triggered a strong reaction in my intuition..."

This statement made Yutel raise an eyebrow slightly.

Chloe's prophetic talent meant that her intuitive reactions often had special significance.

"What kind of reaction?" he asked curiously.

"It's very complicated...it's hard to describe..."

Chloe frowned, struggling to organize her thoughts:

"It's like... standing at the crossroads of the river of time, feeling the convergence of countless threads of fate... and a deep, profound sense of loneliness..."

At this point, the girl's voice became even more confused:

"But at the same time, there was an indescribable attraction... as if all the threads of fate were converging on him..."

Yutel listened quietly to these descriptions, a thoughtful glint in his silver eyes.

“Chloe, I suggest you do a detailed divination about this feeling when you get home tonight.”

His voice became serious:

"It's about your own future."

Sometimes, a strong astrological intuition can foreshadow an important intersection of destinies.

"Okay, Professor."

Chloe nodded in agreement, but she remained confused.

During the subsequent astrology lesson, she was unable to concentrate, and her thoughts kept involuntarily returning to that brief encounter.

………………

In the guest room area of ​​the abyss observatory, the night was as thick and viscous as congealed blood.

The blind girl sat alone at the round table in the center of the room, surrounded by seven specially made "soul lamps".

These lamps are creations carefully crafted from nightmare fat and time pollen.

Each soul lamp was twitching weakly, its surface covered with fine vein patterns, like peeled fingers.

As they burn, a strange, cloying sweetness fills the air.

That's the taste of the unknown mixed with inspiration.

Before her lay the sacred relic passed down through generations of the astrological society—the "Loom of Destiny."

This ancient device looks like an instrument made from the hollowed-out abdomen of some kind of giant insect.

Countless silver threads, as fine as hair, intertwine within it.

However, upon closer inspection, it can be found that those "threads" are actually nerve fibers extracted from the body of an unknown organism.

Each one pulsates faintly, conveying information from the depths of the river of time.

"Let me see...where my destiny leads..."

Pale fingers began to move on the loom of fate, like a blind musician playing a forbidden melody.

The moment her fingertip touched the first nerve wire, her consciousness was instantly dragged into a distorted world of symbols:

A huge black vortex appeared in my mental vision, with countless hungry mouths at its edge.

These mouths belong to different creatures—humans, beasts, abyssal monsters, and even beings she cannot comprehend.

They were silently chewing on something, and what they were chewing on... was her own shadow.

The meaning of this imagery is very clear:

Her prophetic talent will, for some reason, grow morbidly, constantly devouring her reason and humanity until she becomes a complete slave to power.

The second nerve fiber brings an even colder symbolism:

She saw an ancient tree with countless chains hanging from it.

Each chain ended in a blurry humanoid figure.

The human figures swayed gently in the breeze, like hanged prisoners.

The most terrifying thing was that she saw one of the chains was empty, waiting for her arrival.

Countless eyes were staring at her, their gazes filled with greedy malice.

They were waiting for her to walk towards the empty chain, waiting for her to become a collectible.

This imagery reveals another destiny:
She will be collected by a powerful being and become part of their private divination tool.

When the third nerve filament was triggered, her consciousness fell into a gray-white void:
It has no shape, no sound, and not even darkness.

Because darkness is at least "something".

This is pure nothingness, the opposite of existence.

In this void, she felt herself dissolving little by little.

It is not the death of the body, but a deeper disappearance.

Memory, emotion, consciousness, and even the fact that "it once existed" are all fading away.

Occasionally, silver fragments would flash through the void; those were the remnants of her soul.

But these fragments are also disappearing rapidly, eventually leaving no trace.

This fate is more terrifying than death: it's not just an end, but a complete failure.

The next nerve threads brought with them the aura of the abyss:
She saw her own silhouette constantly changing, like a clay figure being molded by an invisible hand.

Sometimes she grows tentacles, sometimes her eyes turn into compound eyes, and sometimes her skin splits into countless tiny mouths.

Every change is accompanied by intense pain.

But what's even more terrifying is that she found herself gradually adapting to the pain, and even beginning to enjoy the distorted process.

Her values ​​are changing, her aesthetic sense is becoming distorted, and her understanding of "normal" is being redefined.

Ultimately, she gained immense power, but lost the reason to use it.

A dance of countless deaths...

One thread after another, Chloe touched every nerve thread on the loom of fate.

She saw herself transform into a talking cloud of blood mist, proclaiming prophecies that would never be heard from anyone deep underground;

She saw herself trapped in a mirror, only able to observe the outside world but never able to influence it;

She saw herself transformed into a living book, locked deep within a treasure vault, only to be opened when needed...

She saw herself split into countless versions, each repeating the same mistakes in different timelines.

Countless possibilities, countless tragic endings...

Every future, in the cruelest way, tells the same truth:
In this distorted universe, having such a prophetic talent is like a curse.

The stronger she is, the more vulnerable she is; the more useful she is, the more dangerous she is.

Chloe's fingers were already covered in countless tiny cuts from the nerve wires, and the blood dripping onto the loom made a hissing, corrosive sound.

Her life force was rapidly fading, and her consciousness was beginning to blur.

But she couldn't stop; she had to find that one last hope.

Just as despair was about to consume her sanity, her fingertips touched a special nerve thread deep within the loom.

A flash of inspiration!

The 1001st Possibility—Great Protection

This nerve fiber is unlike any other fiber.

The moment she touched it, the entire symbolic world underwent a dramatic transformation.

The vortex of hunger transformed into a spiral of wisdom, the chains of bondage became ribbons of protection, and the dissipating nothingness was filled with infinite possibilities.

She saw herself standing at the center of the stars, no longer a fragile prophet, but a being of a higher level.

On the outskirts of the vast starry sea, she sensed the presence of another being.

That is……

An indescribable greatness...

When she tried to "see" that existence, her consciousness was almost completely torn apart.

That was not any shape or concept she could comprehend.

Sometimes it resembles a nebula, sometimes a collection of countless eyes, and sometimes pure multidimensional will.

Its very existence is a contradiction—both ancient and young, both vast and insignificant, both benevolent and terrifying.

She can only perceive it through some abstract characteristics:

That is the intersection of countless timelines;

That is the bridge between reality and illusion;

That is the perfect balance between order and chaos;

That is... some kind of consciousness evolving in an incredible direction.

Under the protection of this being, her fate was fundamentally changed.

She is no longer a passive victim, but an active participant.

Her prophetic abilities were no longer a curse, but a tool for exploring the mysteries of the universe.

More importantly, Chloe felt a sense of belonging she had never experienced before.

It's like a homeless orphan finally finding a home, like a missing piece of a puzzle finding a complete picture.

But as she tried to explore the nature of this existence further, a voice resounded deep within her consciousness.

That was a warning that acted directly on the soul:

"He who gazes into the abyss shall be gazed into by the abyss."

"He who peers into the stars will surely bear their weight."

Those who pursue the truth must bear the responsibility of seeking it.

"Don't look...don't ask...don't try to understand...at least, now is not the time."

This warning, like a thunderclap, exploded in her mental world, instantly pulling her consciousness back to reality.

Chloe was suddenly pulled back to reality, like a drowning person thrown ashore, and began to cough violently and uncontrollably.

The nerve threads of fate's loom stopped pulsating, and those eerie lights gradually dissipated.

This divination exhausted her long-accumulated life force, but it yielded the most important answer:
Of the countless possible futures, only one path leads to hope.

The key to that path lies in the hands of that young wizard.

She didn't know what he really was.

But she knew that if she wanted to break free from the prophet's curse, if she wanted to gain true power and freedom, she had to seize this one and only opportunity.

"My fate... is in your hands..."

Chloe gently stroked the "celestial sphere" crystal on her chest, a legacy given to her by Astraea.

Under the glow of the soul lamp, the nebula in the crystal slowly rotated, as if responding to her determination.

(End of this chapter)