Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 453 The Invitation of the Fountain of Life

The banquet drew to a close in a harmonious atmosphere, and Sheena gracefully set down her crystal wine glass.

Those gentle eyes turned to Ron, as comforting as the warm spring sun.

“Instructor Ralph, your performance was truly impressive.”

Her voice was like the chirping of a nightingale, each syllable carrying a natural charm:

"That perfect fusion of light and spiritual power reminds me of our school's research on 'consciousness resonance'."

As she spoke, she gently touched a bright green leaf-shaped brooch on her chest, and the brooch immediately emitted a faint life force:

“Your improved Abyss Simulation Device, especially its consciousness linking technology, bears a striking resemblance to our ongoing research on ‘collective consciousness vines’.”

Ron sensed the probing in her words, but outwardly maintained scholarly politeness and interest:
"Elder Sheena, you flatter me. However, the collective consciousness vines you mentioned do sound somewhat similar to my research area."

"exactly!"

Hina was somewhat excited, like a biologist who had discovered a rare specimen:
"If you're interested, why not visit my 'Fountain of Vitality'? It offers the perfect environment for in-depth academic exchanges."

Her invitation sounded so natural and so kind.

But Ron caught a subtle warning in the eyes of Salamander and the others.

Hayek, in particular, frowned, gave him a wink, and tapped his right index finger three times on the table.

"This is such an honor."

Ron looked flattered.
"However, could you allow me a moment to consider it? After all, this is such a precious opportunity."

"Of course, of course!"

Sheena smiled gently, but that smile carried a certain deeper meaning in Ron's eyes:
"Academic collaboration requires thorough preparation; please feel free to consider it."

Ron stood up and bowed politely in greeting:

"I drank too much morning dew wine just now, please excuse me for a moment."

Although the number of times the five grains are recycled will be greatly reduced after becoming a formal wizard, there is still a basic metabolism.

Only after reaching the Dark Sun level and condensing the rudimentary form of a ethereal body can one completely transcend the level of ordinary life forms.

So this reason isn't particularly abrupt.

"Of course, please do."

Sheena maintained her gentle smile, her gaze lingering on Ron's face for a moment.

She clearly sensed something, but chose to remain silent.

………………

The restrooms are located in the side wing of the banquet hall.

The walls here are made of "wind-eroded stone," a material unique to quicksand areas, which can absorb most of the unpleasant noise.

Ron walked straight into the innermost cubicle.

After confirming that no one was around, he took out another simplified version of the divination tools from his storage bag.

The main body is a pendant made of three different materials:
Ivory represents purity, obsidian symbolizes profound intuition, and the crystals embedded within are responsible for the transmission and amplification of energy.

Ron gently placed the pendant in his palm and began to adjust his mental frequency.

The meditation techniques from "The Star Eater's Ramblings" allowed him to quickly enter a semi-meditative state.

Consciousness contracts inward along a specific path until it touches the intuitive core that exists deep within the mind.

"Is Sheena's invitation a trap that could lead to my death?"

He clearly posed this question to his mind while slowly channeling his spiritual energy into the pendant.

Ivory begins to emit a warm white light, representing the pursuit of pure intention;
The deep, dark patterns emerging from the surface of the obsidian symbolize the revelation of hidden motives;
As the energies of the two interact, the crystal begins to project a hazy image.

The first image gradually becomes clear:

A beautiful butterfly, its wings displaying vibrant rainbow colors, is fluttering gracefully in a sunny garden.

The flight path of a butterfly is full of the spirit of freedom.

It sometimes flits among the flowers, sometimes rests by the clear spring, its face (if butterflies have faces) full of curiosity and longing for the unknown world.

Ron observed the symbol carefully.

In traditional interpretations of divination, butterflies typically represent transformation, beauty, and fragile life.

Its free flight symbolizes an unbound will, while its longing for the garden suggests a thirst for beautiful things.

The second image begins to overlap and appear:
The "garden" that the butterflies flew to began to reveal its true nature.

Those seemingly dazzling flowers, upon closer inspection, are actually woven from countless metal threads as fine as hair.

Each thread has a sharp, needle-like barb at its end, gleaming with a cold, silvery light in the sunlight.

The entire garden is actually a huge and intricate spider web.

Every "flower" is a disguise for a trap, and every "fragrance" is a poisoned bait to lure the prey.

Even more chilling is the fact that the remains of other insects can be vaguely seen deep within the net.

They were all once like this butterfly, attracted by beautiful illusions, and ultimately became collectibles of the spider web.

The third image completes the entire meaning of the divination:
A huge spider lay silently in the center of its web, but showed no signs of hunger.

Ron slowly opened his eyes, and the divination pendant returned to its calm state.

His expression turned serious, but he also breathed a sigh of relief.

The divination results confirmed some of his guesses, but also brought a relatively positive message:

Sheena's goal was not to kill him immediately, but to use him as a research subject.

The invitation itself did not contain any direct intent to kill.

He analyzed the meaning of the divination in his mind:
"The butterfly sees a beautiful garden, not a butcher's knife, which shows that Sheena's invitation was indeed well-intentioned on the surface, and she may even have actually prepared some valuable academic exchange content."

"But the ultimate goal is capture and research."

He recalled the details of the spiderweb in the image, and a sense of unease rose within him:

"What she wanted was not my knowledge or skills, but me as a person. More precisely, my special bloodline characteristics and abilities."

"This kind of research is likely to be long-term, in-depth, and even..."

He didn't think any further, but he had already made up his mind.

Since Sheena has no intention of killing him for the time being, this invitation may actually be an opportunity.

An opportunity to understand the true strength and research direction of the Tree of Life school, and even an opportunity to find a breakthrough in one's bloodline.

Moreover, Sheena only invited him to her "Fountain of Life" residence, not the actual headquarters of the Tree of Life school.

If things were truly hopeless, escaping from a Dark Sun-level wizard wouldn't have been particularly difficult for him.

After putting away his divination tools, Ron straightened his clothes and walked out of the bathroom again.

………………

When he returned to the banquet hall, Sheena immediately gave him a concerned look:
"Instructor Ralph, you look much better. I suppose you've made your decision?"

Her observational skills were indeed admirably sharp, able to glean so much information from subtle changes in facial expressions.

"Yes, Elder Sheena."

Ron's face showed a moderate level of excitement and anticipation:

"It is a rare opportunity to have in-depth academic exchanges with the Tree of Life School. I am happy to accept your invitation."

Sheena's eyes immediately lit up with genuine joy, like a child who had finally received their beloved toy:

"That's wonderful! I believe this exchange will be very beneficial to both of us."

But Salamanda, sitting in the main seat, looked rather gloomy.

His eyes, like molten gold, stared at Ron, a clear warning in them: "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Hayek went even further, clearing his throat and speaking telepathically:

"Ron, the environment at the Spring of Life is quite unique. If you experience any discomfort, please contact us immediately."

This statement, while seemingly out of concern, was actually a reminder to him:

If danger arises, the Sand Sea School will do its best to provide assistance.

"I will be careful."

Ron nodded to the wizards, his eyes conveying the message, "Trust my judgment."

Sheena stood up and gracefully straightened her robe:
"In that case, why don't we set off now?"
The Vitality Spring is most enchanting at dusk, making it perfect for a first visit.

Although Salamanda was dissatisfied, as the host, he could not be too impolite in front of his guests.

On the other hand, Ron's current status represents the upper echelons of the Crystal Spire, so he can't directly stop him.

"Since Instructor Ralph has made his choice, we will certainly give him our full support."

Salamanda said in a deep voice, then looked at the vice dean beside her:
"Orlando, prepare 'Sandstorm Wings', our best one."

"Dean, are you referring to the one with dragon scale armor?"

Orlando was somewhat surprised; that was the prized possession of the Sand Sea School.

"That's the one."

Salamanda's tone left no room for argument:
“Instructor Ralph is our honored guest and should be treated with the utmost care.”

This arrangement clearly exceeded normal standards of courtesy, but everyone present understood Salamanda's true intentions:

Since they couldn't stop Ron's decision, they at least needed to ensure he had sufficient protection and escape methods. Sheena, however, didn't seem to care, and even nodded approvingly.

“Dean Salamander is so thoughtful; this way we can enjoy the beauty of the quicksand together.”

………………

Half an hour later, two completely different aircraft were parked on the Sand Sea School's take-off and landing platform.

Sheena's "Flying Leaf Boat" is about ten meters long and is made up of a huge oval leaf.

This leaf has clearly undergone complex biological transformation, with a deep emerald green surface and dense vein-like patterns.

The surface of the leaf boat lacks traditional control devices; instead, it features several seats woven from vines.

The armrests and backrests of the seats are made of living plants, which can automatically adjust their shape according to the body shape of the passenger to provide the most comfortable support.

"This is the result of my thirty years of cultivation using the seeds of the 'Celestial Giant Leaf'."

Sheena introduced the speaker gently, her voice filled with motherly love:

"It doesn't need any external fuel; it relies entirely on absorbing light energy and elemental particles to sustain its flight, and..."

She gently stroked the gunwale, and the giant leaf immediately trembled with pleasure:
"It is alive and can autonomously determine its flight path, and even take the initiative to avoid danger when it encounters it."

In stark contrast, Salamander prepared "Wings of Sandstorm" for Ron.

The design of this vehicle is full of wild beauty.

The main body is a huge mechanical bird-shaped skeleton with a wingspan of nearly twenty meters.

The skeleton was forged from a special dark gray metal, and its surface was inlaid with dense dragon scales.

Each scale emitted a faint glow and made a low humming sound in the wind.

The vehicle's "head" is a streamlined cockpit with a transparent magic crystal shell that provides excellent visibility.

The internal control panel is dazzlingly complex, with all sorts of crystal balls, rune arrays, and elemental regulators.

"This is a high-speed vehicle that we designed based on the skeletal structure of ancient pterosaurs."

Orlando proudly introduced:
"It can fly at speeds exceeding ten times the speed of sound and remain stable in any harsh environment."

There is one problem.

He glanced at Ron and added with a hint of worry:
"It is quite difficult to operate, requiring precise magical control and rich flying experience."

However, the dean said that with Lecturer Ralph's level, there shouldn't be any major problems..."

Ron carefully observed the two vehicles, comparing them in his mind.

Although Sheena's Leaf Boat may appear gentle and harmless, its completely biological structure means that the life and death of the riders are entirely in the hands of the vehicle's "owner."

If Sheena wanted to restrict his movements, she only needed a thought, and the Leaf Boat would become a living cage.

In contrast, while the Sandstorm Wings are more complex to control, at least they are mechanical structures, giving him the possibility of active control.

Moreover, Salamanda's choice of this vehicle was clearly based on its high-speed maneuverability—which could be used to escape if necessary.

"Then let's set off."

Sheena boarded the flying leaf boat, and the vine chair immediately adjusted to the most suitable position for her body shape.

The entire leaf began to flutter gently, rising silently into the sky.

Ron was not to be outdone and skillfully entered the cockpit of the Sandstorm Wings.

Although this was his first time encountering this type of vehicle.

However, the extraordinary computing power of the "Intelligence Triangle" allows him to quickly understand the functions and usage of various control devices.

The mechanical wings began to flap powerfully, accompanied by a deep roar, and the Sandstorm Wings soared into the sky.

The two vehicles met in the air and began flying northwest toward the Vitality Spring area.

………………

Once outside the protection zone of the Sand Sea School, the harsh environment of the quicksand immediately revealed its monstrous nature.

The first thing you encounter is a "gravity inversion zone".

In this strange space, the direction of gravity is completely reversed, and all objects are "attracted" upwards.

The sky became a bottomless abyss, while the earth was like a boulder hanging overhead, ready to fall at any moment.

Sheena's leaf boat thrived in this environment.

As a living vehicle, it can instinctively sense changes in the gravitational field and automatically adjust its flight attitude.

The giant leaf gently flips, maintaining an elegant gliding motion throughout.

But Ron's Sandswings didn't have it so easy.

Mechanical vehicles, though sturdy, lack biological intuition.

In the instant the gravity suddenly reversed, the entire vehicle began to roll uncontrollably.

Alarms blared incessantly in the cockpit, and various indicator lights flashed wildly.

"System instability failure! Please manually adjust the gravity compensator!"

The mechanical sounds of the vehicle were particularly jarring amidst the cacophony of alarms.

But Ron didn't panic.

His "hermit's knowledge" allowed him to clearly perceive the changing patterns of the gravitational field;

The "eye of observation" helps him predict the timing and intensity of the next change.

His hands moved rapidly across the complex control panel, adjusting the gravity compensator and fine-tuning the engine output.

The flapping frequency of the mechanical wings began to synchronize with the fluctuations in the gravitational field, and the entire vehicle regained stability.

Sheena observed Ron's actions through the communication crystal, a fleeting look of surprise crossing her eyes.

"Instructor Ralph is truly versatile. Is this your first time operating this kind of vehicle?"

Her voice remained gentle, but her tone now carried a hint of inquiry.

"Yes, but the principles behind these devices are all pretty much the same."

Furthermore, I received some training from the Great Wizard Vinard, so I'm quite proficient at operating these machines.

Ron answered modestly, while subtly reining in his boastful attitude once again.

“The Great Wizard Vinard… Hmph, I see.”

Sheena chuckled softly, neither confirming nor denying.

After passing through the gravity inversion zone, a massive elemental storm wall comes into view.

This storm wall is thousands of meters high and its width is seemingly endless.

The violent energy, a mixture of fire, water, wind, and earth, forms a magnificent yet deadly natural barrier.

Inside the storm, lightning of various colors flashed incessantly, each bolt powerful enough to tear an ordinary vehicle to shreds.

As Sheena's Leaf Boat approached the Storm Wall, its surface began to secrete a transparent mucus.

This mucus solidifies rapidly, forming a protective film on the outside of the leaf boat.

"This is the result of my many years of research."

Sheena's voice came through the communication crystal, carrying a hint of smugness:
"This protective layer can neutralize most of the impact from elements, allowing us to safely pass through the storm."

But her flight speed suddenly increased by nearly double, clearly testing Ron's ability to follow.

For a typical Moon-level wizard, maintaining this speed in such a complex environment would consume a great deal of magic and mental energy.

But Ron did not choose to fight head-on.

He carefully observed the internal structure of the storm and, through the enhanced computing power of the "Intelligence Triangle," found a relatively calm airflow channel inside the storm.

The Sandstorm Wings weaves through the storm like a nimble petrel, always choosing the most energy-efficient flight path.

Although it looks extremely dangerous, it actually consumes far less magic power than traveling in a straight line.

To Sheena's surprise, Ron not only kept up with her pace, but even had the energy to engage in academic discussions with her over the phone.
"Elder Sheena, the mechanism by which this protective membrane is formed is very interesting. What principle is it based on?"

"How did you discover those airflow channels? I've been observing for so many years and never noticed this pattern inside the storm."

Although Sheena's tone remained gentle, her assessment had risen again.

This young man's precision in manipulating magic and his combat intuition have far surpassed the scope of ordinary Moon-level beings.

Her assessment of Ron's "research value" was upgraded from "an interesting sample" to "an extremely valuable specimen".

………………

After nearly two hours of arduous flight, the Vitality Spring area finally appeared on the horizon.

In stark contrast to the desolate landscape of swirling sandstorms outside, this place is a lush oasis.

But as the vehicle landed and Ron stepped onto the land, he immediately felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

The plants here are indeed thriving, but they all bear obvious signs of human intervention.

A giant fern with eye-like markings on its leaves that rotate as the observer moves.
The towering ancient tree, its trunk covered with patterns resembling human faces, occasionally emitted a soft sigh.
The ground was covered with some kind of fleshy vines, and stepping on them felt like stepping on warm skin, with a faint pulse.

"Welcome to the Fountain of Life, Instructor Ralph."

Sheena gracefully stepped off the flying leaf boat, opening her arms as if embracing the sky:
"This is the culmination of my fifty years of hard work. Every plant and every inch of land carries the miracle of life."

Her tone was full of maternal love, as if she were introducing her beloved children.

(End of this chapter)