Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 450 Life Always Finds a Way
As the airship began its descent, Ron was able to observe the school's architectural structure more closely.

The walls of these buildings are made of "living sand coral".

It is a peculiar material that can autonomously regulate its internal environment.

When the outside temperature rises, the walls turn a cool blue, releasing a refreshing feeling;
When the temperature drops, the walls turn a warm orange color, radiating warmth.

Moreover, this adjustment is not mechanical, but rather an intelligent response based on the magical fluctuations of the internal personnel.

Each person has different magical characteristics, and the walls will provide the most suitable environment for them.

“This material…” Ron’s researcher instincts kicked in: “Is it artificially cultivated or naturally formed?”

“Both,” Samuel proudly stated.
"Basic sand corals are a specialty of shifting sands, but our researchers have made a lot of improvements to them."

Now they can not only regulate temperature, but also have a certain protective function.

During elemental upheavals, these walls automatically thicken to protect those inside.

The airship landed smoothly on an open platform on the back of Leviathan.

As the hatch opened, the dry, hot wind characteristic of the quicksand land rushed in, carrying the mixed scents of sand and various elements.
The scent wasn't pungent; instead, it had a unique freshness, as if each breath directly replenished magical energy.

"Welcome to the Sand Sea School, Instructor Ralph."

At the entrance to the reception hall, several familiar figures were waiting for him.

Hayek remained as dignified as ever.

But Ron keenly noticed that the old man had a few more smile lines at the corners of his eyes, and the gloom on his face from long-term pressure had completely dissipated.

“Ron, you’ve finally come.” Hayek stepped forward, his voice filled with relief.

"We've been waiting for you."

Eunice stood beside Hayek, her long purple hair gleaming like jewels in the sunlight.

Her changes were the most noticeable.

The dark marks left by the abyss's erosion had completely disappeared, and his skin had become fair and smooth, with the elemental fluctuations on his body becoming exceptionally stable and intense.

“Mentor Yuni,” Ron nodded slightly in greeting, “you look much better than before.”

“The environment here is indeed unique.” Uni smiled slightly.
"Some progress has been made in the study of elemental interactions."

She waved her right hand lightly, and a small pattern composed of the four elements of fire, water, earth, and wind immediately appeared in the air.

Unlike before, these elements have begun to blend harmoniously together.

"Exquisite control." Ron carefully observed the trajectory of the elements:
"It seems you have found a way to make opposing elements coexist harmoniously."

"In a way, yes."

Yuni withdrew her spell, her expression revealing the meticulousness characteristic of a scholar: "However, it will require more time to perfect."

Just then, footsteps were heard in the passageway.

A dozen or so young men dressed in apprentice robes walked from a distance, all bearing distinct features of their Sand People ancestry.

Their skin is beeswax-colored, and their hair is mostly dark brown or golden brown.

These apprentices have fine reflective lines on their arms or cheeks.

That is a natural adaptation that results from long-term contact with the elemental environment.

When they saw Hayek and the others, they immediately stopped and bowed in unison.

“Vice Dean Hayek, Instructor Yuni,” the leading senior apprentice said respectfully.

His gaze involuntarily drifted towards Ron, a clear look of curiosity flashing in his eyes.

The young man in front of them looked to be only in his early twenties, but he appeared younger than many of them.

Yet he could stand shoulder to shoulder with Vice Dean Hayek, and the magical fluctuations emanating from him were unfathomable.

The other apprentices were also secretly eyeing Ron, and whispers could be faintly heard.

But when the old man's gaze swept over them, all the chatter immediately ceased.

"Continue your studies," Hayek said casually after glancing at them. "Don't be late for the elemental fluctuation test this afternoon."

"Yes, Vice Dean." The apprentices bowed again and then quickly left.

Only after they had walked a distance did Ron speak:

"Local apprentices should be very adaptable to the environment here."

“It should be said that it was the environment here that shaped them,” Hayek replied with a faint smile.
"Children who grow up in this environment are naturally sensitive to changes in elements."

Although most people have limited mental aptitude, their fundamental qualities in various aspects are often better than those of pure-blooded humans.

“However, on another note,” Hayek suddenly became serious:

“Ron, you’re quite the big shot now, a Moonlight Wizard, the chief of the Nova Project… When I was your age, I was just a senior apprentice.”

When Hayek said this, his tone was a mixture of pride and a hint of disappointment.

But as his former mentor, his joy at seeing his student achieve such success was undoubtedly genuine.

"The vice dean is too kind," Ron replied habitually. "It was also thanks to the help of the mentors at the time."

"Alright, let's take you to your accommodation to settle in first, and then we can talk more."

Hayek nodded to Eunice beside him, and they walked forward together:
"Although the environment here is unique, I think you will like it."

On his way to his lodgings, Ron couldn't help but be drawn to the architectural style of the Sand Sea School.

Unlike the austere aesthetics of the Crystal Spire, every building here possesses a certain fluidity.

“This design concept…” Ron observed as he walked:
"It's quite different from the spire complexes in the Central Lands."

“This is the characteristic of the Sand Sea School,” Hayek explained.
"In such an extreme environment, everyone will be forced to learn to live in harmony with nature."

They arrived at a relatively isolated small building.

The building has a warm earthy yellow color, and the walls have naturally formed patterns, as if it grew out of the desert.

"This is your living quarters." Hayek pushed open the door.
"We specifically chose this place for you; it's close to all the experimental areas, making it convenient for you to conduct your research."

The interior of the accommodation was surprisingly comfortable.

Although the building material is sand coral, the space is both spacious and cozy after careful design.

What caught Ron's attention most was a meditation pool in the center of the room, filled with shimmering elemental sand.

"This is something we prepared especially for you."

Yuni introduced it with a hint of pride:

"These elemental sands can enhance the effects of meditation, especially for cultivation related to bloodlines. We heard you came here to conduct research on bloodlines?"

“Yes.” Ron nodded in confirmation: “I need to try some breakthroughs in a special elemental environment.”

“Then you’ve come to the right place.” Hayek winked mysteriously.
"Although the elemental chaos in the quicksand is dangerous, it is also an ideal environment for bloodline activation."

After settling in, Ron quickly unpacked his luggage in his room.

When he stepped out of the room again, he found Hayek and Eunice still waiting for him outside.

"What's wrong? Is there any special arrangement?" he asked curiously.

“We’d like to take you to see the watchtower first,” Hayek suggested.
"From there, you can see the entire desert landscape and gain a more intuitive understanding of its unique features."

The three climbed upwards along the spiral passage and finally arrived at the "Elemental Watchtower" built on the head of Leviathan.

This is the pinnacle of the entire school of thought, and also Hayek's exclusive domain as one of the vice-deans.

The main body of the watchtower is a huge crystal ball, with a diameter of five meters.

The crystal ball was filled with some of Leviathan's tissue fluid.

As Ron approached, he could sense ancient and profound fluctuations of wisdom emanating from it.

"Ramses has lived in this sea of ​​sand for tens of thousands of years."

Hayek's voice was filled with awe:

"It is fully aware of every change in the elements here."

By connecting with its consciousness, we can anticipate elemental upheavals and find the most suitable time and place to conduct specific experiments.

“You can look at the scenery outside,” Hayek said, pointing into the distance.

"This perspective allows you to better understand the environment we live in."

Standing at this height, Ron was finally able to overlook the magnificent view of the entire desert.

What truly attracted his attention was not the strange elemental storms in the distance, but the bustling settlements surrounding Leviathan.

Within a radius of tens of kilometers from Leviathan, there are scattered clusters of buildings of varying sizes.

These settlements have different architectural styles; some look like they grew out of the sand dunes, while others are special windproof structures built with crystal and metal.

“Those were settlements established by local sand people and various other ethnic groups.”

Hayek explained:
"Because of Ramses' presence, the elemental fluctuations here are always relatively calm."

For those who make a living in the desert, this is a natural haven.

Ron carefully observed the settlements and found that the inhabitants were indeed significantly different from ordinary humans.

“Those with shimmering skin are the ‘Crystal Scale People’,” Hayek said, pointing to one of the settlements.
"The scales on their bodies can sense elemental fluctuations, and their color changes with the surrounding magical environment."

When an elemental upheaval is imminent, their scales turn a glaring red, serving as a warning to everyone.

In another direction, Ron saw a group of figures "swimming" in the sea of ​​sand.

Their movements were as agile as fish in water, completely unhindered by the sand.

“Those are the ‘Sandwalkers’,” Yuni continued.
"They can not only move freely in the sand, but they can even breathe normally in sandstorms."

It is said that the most skilled sandwalkers can dive hundreds of meters into the depths of the sand sea without losing their way.

What intrigued Ron the most were the residents whose appearances were constantly changing.

“Those are ‘multifaceted people’,” Yuni said, her tone even tinged with envy.

"This hybrid race possesses multiple elemental affinities, allowing them to switch their physical characteristics according to environmental changes. You see, it's daytime now, and the fire element is more active, so their skin is red;"
When the water element rises at night, they will turn blue…

"Everyone is adapting to this environment in their own way..."

Ron sighed.

"This is the power of life," Hayek remarked with deep feeling.

"In extreme environments, life can always find its own way out."

This is also the most important lesson we learned here—not to conquer the environment, but to learn to adapt to it.

The architectural layout of the Sand Sea School is quite reasonable.

The core area consists of various laboratories and teaching facilities, while the outer area comprises accommodation and living facilities.

The entire school is built on the broad back of Leviathan, roaming the desert as the ancient beast moves slowly.

“This is the Elemental Laboratory.” Hayek led Ron into a relatively large building:

"It is mainly used to study the interactions between various elements."

The laboratory's interior space is divided into multiple zones, each specially designed for different element types.

The ground in the fire element area was covered with refractory material, and a faint smell of sulfur permeated the air;

The water element zone has a complex pipe system that can guide and control the direction of water flow.

Several researchers working in the laboratory stopped what they were doing and bowed respectfully when they saw them enter.

"Continue your experiments."

Hayek waved his hand casually and led the two to a special open area.

"Now it's my turn to show you."

Yuni, who was standing nearby, suddenly spoke up:

"Ron, do you still remember my 'Breath of the Phoenix'?"

"of course I remember."

Ron nodded. He had recorded the "Breath of the Phoenix" back when he was an apprentice, and it was his trump card back then.

In his later practice of the Ring of Radiance, his opponent's "Breath of the Phoenix" also provided him with a lot of reference for improvement.

“Then watch closely.” Yuni took a deep breath and began to unleash her signature spell.

Blazing flames erupted from her mouth, forming a soaring firebird in the air.

But just when Ron thought that was all, Yuni suddenly changed the elemental composition of the spell.

The flames rapidly changed color from red to ice blue, and the intense heat suddenly dropped below freezing.

The firebird transformed into an ice bird, leaving behind beautiful trails of frost wherever it went.

"This is the 'ice bird type'."

Eunice explained with a smug look on her face, but her performance was not over yet.

The ice-blue bird transformed again, this time into a thunderbird made of lightning, its wings flapping and creating bursts of electricity.

“There’s also the ‘Thunderbird’ type,” she chuckled.
"In the unique environment of the quicksand land, I gradually learned how to freely switch the same spell between different elements."

The key is not to change the spell itself, but to understand the common essence of different elements.

Ron was quite tempted.

This flexibility is exactly what he seeks.

"How did you do that?" he asked humbly. "The switch looks seamless, like..."

“Just like they were originally one, right?” Uni answered with a smile.
"I remember one of the requirements for a Moon-level wizard to advance is to fuse spells, right?"
Perhaps the answer lies not in forcibly binding them together, but in finding their common essence.

Of course, explaining it in detail is a bit complicated; we can discuss this topic properly when we have more time.

After visiting the experimental site, Hayek suggested that they go see Magnus.

"That old guy is now completely obsessed with the local specialties."

Hayek laughed and said, "Since arriving here, he's been as excited as if he'd discovered a new continent."

They arrived at the herb garden built inside Leviathan.

The environment here is warm and humid, a stark contrast to the dry desert outside.

Various exotic plants thrive under the nourishment of magic, emitting an intoxicating fragrance.

Magnus stood before a patch of colorful sand, intently observing its changes.

His white beard was covered in powders of various colors, and his eyes shone brightly as he was completely absorbed in his research.

“Magnus, your guest has arrived,” Hayek shouted deliberately.

“What guest? I don’t have time right now…” Magnus replied without looking up.

After a while, when he finished his work and saw that it was Ron who had come, the wrinkles on his face smoothed out:
"Ron! You've finally arrived!"

The old potion master put down his tools and strode over.

Magnus's changes were the most noticeable compared to the others.

He looked at least ten years younger; the wrinkles on his face had faded considerably, and even his gait seemed lighter.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, child." Magnus rubbed his hands together a little embarrassedly.

"I was just mixing a new medicine, and I can't be interrupted at this crucial moment."

"It's alright, Master Magnus."

Ron nodded in response, "You look to be in better spirits."

“Definitely!” Magnus waved his hands excitedly:

"This is a potion master's paradise! Look at all this!"

He pointed to the various plant and mineral specimens around him:
"These 'active sand herbs' have extremely unique properties. They not only change their medicinal effects according to environmental changes, but they can even sense the emotions and intentions of the maker!"

As he spoke, he picked up a small handful of colored sand and placed it in his palm: "You see, when I'm calm..."

The sand turned pale blue, exuding a sense of tranquility.

"When I'm excited..."

The sand instantly turns golden, giving one a feeling of boundless energy.

"When I have the good intention of healing others..."

The sand grains turned a gentle green, and the breath of life was almost palpable.

Ron carefully observed the grains of sand, and some theoretical hypotheses began to form in his mind.

“I think this might involve a direct interaction between consciousness and matter,” he said.

"In an environment with extremely high magic concentration, the influence of mental energy on matter will be amplified."

These grains of sand are actually sensing the emotional information contained within your magical fluctuations.

In the time that followed, Magnus began to discuss various issues of potions with Ron, almost forgetting about Hayek and Yuni who were standing next to him.

………………

As night fell, the mentors led him to a relatively private dining room.

Holt, who had teaching duties during the day, also arrived late.

The decor here is typical of the Shamin style.

A low, round table, a soft carpet, and a few elemental lamps emitting a gentle glow.

"We've prepared some special food for Ron's arrival tonight."

Hayek gestured for everyone to sit down: "These are all local specialties."

The table was covered with all sorts of food that Ron had never seen before.

The most eye-catching dish is called "Desert Flower".

Made from the roots and stems of special sandy plants, it resembles a blooming flower in shape, has a uniquely sweet taste, and can also replenish magic power.

There's also "Quick Sand Rolls" made with sandworm meat, which have a chewy texture and delicious flavor, and are said to enhance the body's adaptability to environmental elements.

Just as they were enjoying these unusual delicacies, music started playing in the hall.

Several dancers gracefully approached.

They are all hybrid snake people, with human upper bodies and snake lower bodies, and their bodies are decorated with various gems and ribbons.

“They will perform the elemental dance,” Holt explained softly. “It’s a local tradition.”

The dancers began their elegant dance.

Their bodies are as supple as water, and every movement resonates with some element.

Beautiful sparks appeared in the air as they waved their arms;

As they swayed their hips, the surrounding temperature subtly changed;

As they swayed their snake tails, the sand on the ground began to pulsate rhythmically.

This art form, which combines dance with elemental control, still seemed quite novel to Ron, even though he had seen it before at the Lans Festival.

"A very beautiful form of expression," he commented as he watched.
How did they manage to synchronize so perfectly with the elements?

“Snake people are naturally sensitive to elemental fluctuations,” Hayek explained.
"In addition to the dance techniques passed down through generations, this has formed a unique art form."

The dance lasted for about half an hour, and with the last turn, the dancers slowly left the restaurant.

"So?" Yuni looked at Ron. "Your impression of this place is pretty good, right?"

“It deeply impressed me,” Ron answered honestly.

"Back when the elements were in chaotic turmoil in the land of quicksand, who could have imagined that such a brilliant civilization would blossom here in the future?"

(End of this chapter)