Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 465 The Moment of the Triple Lunar Eclipse
The arms on the throne sensed their master's change in mood and began to stroke them even more attentively.

"However, it's not all bad."

Serafina suddenly chuckled, her laughter as clear and melodious as silver bells:
"If Ron Ralph really has such a mysterious background, then his research is even more valuable."

Failure is also part of learning, and what our Tree of Life school excels at is drawing nourishment from failure.

Upon hearing these words, Sheena felt a strong sense of unease.

She knew Serafina well enough.

Knowing that behind the gentle smile of this "bright-eyed woman" often lies the cruelest punishment.

"Lady Serafina," she tried to defend herself.
"This failure was indeed unexpected, but we can adjust our strategy; perhaps we can try other approaches."

"Xina, my good child."

Her voice was as smooth as silk, but it concealed a dangerous undercurrent:
"Your report just now has left me very disappointed."

Sheena knelt before the throne, her body trembling slightly.

Not out of fear, but out of excitement.

After years of transformation and training, her feelings for Serafina have transcended simple loyalty and risen to an almost religious level of worship.

It could be said that Serafina was like a second adoptive mother to her.

She felt a physiological pleasure whenever she heard this "bright-eyed woman" speak.

"I...I'm so sorry, Lady Serafina."

Hina's voice trembled slightly from excessive tension:
"I originally thought that a young wizard who had just broken through to the Moon Rank couldn't possibly possess such a strong will."

"What did you originally think?"

Sheena sensed the impending death in the other person's words:
“Dear Sheena, do you know what the word ‘think’ means in our school of thought?”

“It means we were unprepared,” the witch’s voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.

"Very good, it seems you haven't completely lost your mind."

Serafina nodded in satisfaction:
“Insufficient preparation means a waste of the school’s resources. And waste is not tolerated here.”

She waved her hand gently, and the atmosphere in the entire hall changed abruptly.

"However, considering your many years of loyal service..."

Serafina slowly rose from her throne.

The arms that had woven the chair reluctantly released their embrace from her.

“I will not take your life; you will continue to contribute to the school in another way.”

The moment she finished speaking, the entire Azure Garden began to respond to her will.

The hall floor began to undulate like the tide, and the originally hard stone slabs became as soft as flesh.

Countless giant vines sprouted from deep within the ground.

Their skin is covered with fine down, which shimmers in the moonlight like countless eyes blinking.

The most eye-catching part is the top of the vine.

There, dazzlingly beautiful flowers bloomed, each one the size of a washbasin.

The petals, layer upon layer, gradually change from deep red to pinkish-white, and begin to emit an alluring feminine fragrance.

The flowers emitted a low, humming sound, like the moans of a woman in the throes of extreme pleasure.

"The Blood Roses haven't tasted high-quality nutrients in a long time."

Serafina explained gently, like a mother introducing her pet to her child:

"Their desire for beautiful women has reached its peak, especially for a Dark Sun-level wizard like you with a special bloodline."

Sheena finally realized her impending fate, and her face turned ashen.

"Lady Serafina, I can revise the plan. I can."

"Shh, don't speak, my dear child."

Serafina extended her slender fingers and gently stroked Sheena's lips:
"This is not punishment, but an honor. Your life essence will be used to nurture the next generation of cyborgs."

A dozen or so thick blood rose vines quickly swam towards Sheena.

They didn't grab her roughly, but instead wrapped around her limbs gently, like lovers.

The sap secreted from the surface of the vines has a faintly sweet smell and also contains a numbing agent that induces drowsiness.

"No need to wait"

Sheena tried to struggle, but the strength of the vines far exceeded her expectations.

At the same time, as the vines wrapped around her, an unusual warmth began to spread throughout her body.

These blood roses secrete special hormones that can directly affect the nervous system.

"Feel their love, Sheena."

Serafina's voice carried a maternal tenderness:

"The blood roses have been growing alone for hundreds of years, and their desire for high-quality vitality is pure and intense."

It is a great honor to be chosen by them and to contribute to their growth.

The vines gently lifted Sheena up, suspending her in mid-air in a posture that was both fragile and graceful.

Their flowers began to press against her skin, their petals gently caressing every inch of her skin like the tenderest caress.

But the real purpose of this "caress" is to establish a channel for the transmission of life force.

Each touch of the petals leaves a tiny mark on the skin's surface.

That's the lifeline of the Blood Rose, used for precise energy extraction.

The entire process is extremely precise, much like a surgical procedure.

Blood Roses do not cause any external injuries or severe pain.

They will slowly extract the essence of life in the gentlest way.

"I will control the amount extracted appropriately."

Serafina walked up to Sheena, who was hanging there, and gently stroked her flushed cheeks:

"It won't kill you, it's just to let you experience the wonderful feeling of life force draining away."

When you are at your weakest, you will understand what true humility is.

"This process will take about a month."

At dawn a month later, the Blood Roses will stop being drawn.

At that time, you will become more vulnerable than a newborn baby, but you will also gain an unprecedented level of clarity.

In the gentle "kiss" of the blood rose blossoms, Sheena experienced an unprecedented and complex sensory experience.

The passing of life brings a strange sense of lightness, as if the soul is gradually breaking free from the weight of the body.

The hormones secreted by the blood rose bring a profound sense of pleasure.

As her life force diminished, her mental perception became exceptionally sharp.

She began to hear the "thoughts" of the Blood Roses.

It was a pure and primal emotion: a yearning for beauty, a love of life, and a thirst for growth.

"I can hear their voices."

Sheena's words became light and airy, like the murmur of a dream:
"They said they really like my taste."

"Of course, my child."

Serafina nodded in satisfaction:
"The Blood Roses are the most honest creatures; their love is pure and direct."

During this month, you will have the deepest communion with them.

"After this 'purification' is over, you will find that you have gained a completely new perspective."

Then we can discuss how to better capture that mysterious young man.

As time went on, Sheena's skin began to lose its color.

But he always maintained a hazy smile on his face due to the effects of hormones.

Serafina observed the process with satisfaction, like a gardener observing the work she had carefully cultivated.

"The cost of failure is always high, isn't it?"

She gently stroked a blood rose that had bloomed even more brilliantly, its petals shimmering with the faint light of Sheena's life essence.

………………

As the sun set, Leviathan Ramses' back was bathed in a golden-red glow.

On the training field, everyone's face showed extreme fatigue, but their eyes burned with an increasingly intense fighting spirit.

Ron felt a slight vibration coming from beneath his feet, the rhythm of Ramses' heartbeat.

After spending so many days together, he had become extremely familiar with this rhythm.

He discovered that his breathing rhythm had unconsciously synchronized with the ancient beast's heartbeat.

This synchronization brought a strange feeling, as if the entire Sand Sea School had become an extension of his body.

"Sit down and rest."

Salamanda's voice broke the evening's tranquility:
"There are still three days until the Night of Elements. It's time for you to understand why this year's competition is so special."

He looked up at the sky, where, in addition to the usual stars, three moons were slowly converging.

"Did you see that? Those three moons."

Salamanda pointed to a peculiar celestial phenomenon in the sky:

"The blazing moon, the cold moon, and the dark moon at the very center. For the first time in thirty-seven years, they have come so close."

Edwin looked up and observed:
"Is there anything special about this, teacher?"

"This is called a 'triple lunar eclipse,' the most sacred celestial phenomenon in the land of quicksand."

Salamanda took a brass instrument from her storage bag; its surface was engraved with intricate astrological runes.

According to ancient records, whenever a triple lunar eclipse occurs, the network of dragon bones beneath the quicksand will enter a resonant state.

He placed the instrument on the ground, and it immediately began to emit a faint humming sound.

The runes on the surface of the instrument lit up one by one and began to rotate as if they had come to life.

"Did you hear that? This is the prelude to the keel resonance."

As Salamander spoke, everyone indeed felt an extremely subtle tremor. It wasn't Ramses' heartbeat, but a resonance emanating from the deeper depths of the earth.

As a wizard skilled in manipulating earth elements, Laku felt this most acutely:
"This tremor felt like the whole earth was breathing."

“That’s right.” Salamanda’s eyes showed awe.

"When the dragon bone network reaches full resonance, the elemental activity of the entire quicksand land will increase to more than ten times the normal level."

The effects at the intersection of those elements will be enhanced accordingly.

Ron's heart skipped a beat as he recalled the vision he had seen more than a year ago when he used astrology.

The timing indicated in the prophecy is precisely this special celestial juncture.

There's an old saying that goes, "It's better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early." Guided by the prophecy, he probably arrived at the right time.

"So, this Elemental Night will be particularly effective for bloodline breakthroughs?" he asked.

"It's not just a breakthrough in bloodline."

Salamanda walked toward an observation device at the edge of the training field, a complex instrument made of crystal and metal:

“Elemental resonance also affects many other aspects—activation of the radiation field, and even an increase in the efficiency of magic compression.”

He adjusted the instrument's parameters, and a three-dimensional map of the quicksand began to appear in the crystal mirror.

On the map, countless rays of light spread underground like blood vessels, which is the real-time status of the keel network.

“Look at the brightness of these lights,” Salamanda said, pointing to the image.
"Normally they are mostly dim, with only a noticeable glow at the point where they meet, but now..."

The network of light on the map is gradually brightening, as if invisible currents are flowing through it.

Some tiny branches that are usually almost invisible are now beginning to emit a faint glow.

"The entire network is becoming active."

Patricia watched this scene in astonishment: "It's like a giant transmutation circle being activated."

“That’s right.” Salamanda’s expression turned serious:

"Such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will naturally attract the attention of all forces."

Not only our Desert School, but also the Tree of Life and the Burning Scale Clan.

Even some of the most secluded indigenous tribes are sending their strongest teams to compete.

At this point, his expression turned somewhat gloomy:
"After all, the outcome of this Night of Elements will directly affect the weighting of the intersection points over the next twenty years."

"Assign weights?" Edwin asked, puzzled.

Salamanda paused for a moment, seemingly considering how to explain this complex political issue:

"Children, you must understand that although the land of quicksand may seem free and open, it actually has a strict system of order."

With a wave of his hand, the ground of the training field began to change.

The hard rock platform was quickly reconstructed, forming an exquisite three-dimensional sand table that perfectly reproduced the terrain and power distribution of the quicksand land.

“Every point where these elements intersect has a clear owner and manager.”

However, this sense of belonging is not static.

Numerous glowing dots appeared on the sand table, representing intersections of different scales.

Red dots represent large intersections, yellow dots represent medium-sized intersections, and green dots represent small intersections.

"According to the ancient 'Quicksand Agreement,' there is an opportunity for redistribution every twenty years."

The allocation was based on each faction's performance during the Elemental Night Carnival.

Salamanda tapped her fingers lightly on the sand table, and the dots of light began to be categorized according to their different colors.

"Of course, no matter how the weight changes, the dominant position of the Tree of Life school will not be shaken."

Salamanda smiled wryly:
"They have been operating here for more than one era, and their roots are so deep that it is despairing."

All we can strive for is to slightly improve our current situation.

He pointed to the distribution of the red dots on the sand table:
"Do you see? The best intersections are all within the core area of ​​the Tree of Life."

It possesses sophisticated protective arrays, abundant resource reserves, and countless research facilities.

"Our intersections are mostly located in remote areas, where the environment is harsh and we are often threatened by various factors."

At this point, he could only shrug:
"Who told me I'm just an ordinary Dark Sun-level wizard?"

If the Crystal Spire had sent just one more great wizard, our situation would have been much better...

Unfortunately, all the extra Grand Wizards and even Dark Sun-level Wizards had gone with the Tower Master to the front lines in another world.

Hearing this, Ron began to understand Salamander's previous peculiar attitude towards the Tree of Life school.

That wasn't just simple hostility, but a helpless compromise with reality.

"Therefore, we can only fight for more rights through legitimate means."

Salamanda readjusted the display on the sand table, and the dots began to rearrange themselves according to a pattern:
"The 'Quicksand Agreement' stipulates that the results of carnival competitions will be converted into 'prestige values' according to a specific formula, which will then affect the allocation weight of intersection points."

"Although it is impossible to shake the dominant position of the Tree of Life."

But if we perform exceptionally well, we can at least enhance the reputation of the Sand Sea School and gain access to some additional large and medium-sized intersections.

Edwin clenched his fist: "Then let's go all out and show them the power of the Sand Sea School!"

"Excellent! You truly are my student!"

Salamanda slapped Edwin so hard he stumbled, but then immediately poured cold water on his enthusiasm:
"However, you must understand one thing."

The fact that the Tree of Life School dared to propose even more complex trial rules shows that they are very confident in their chances of victory.

He took out a crystal ball from his storage bag:

"In particular, the team they sent this time is not an ordinary wizard, but a 'work of art' that has undergone deep biological modification."

When magic was injected into it, three-dimensional projections of female figures began to appear inside the crystal ball.

Each projection is incredibly lifelike, with even the subtlest changes in facial expressions clearly visible.

He tapped his finger in the air, and the first projection was magnified.

"'Thorns' Leona, with a magic compression rate of approximately five times, underwent seven years of modification."

Her body has achieved a perfect fusion of plant and human forms.

The woman's skin in the projection appears emerald green, with fine veins on its surface resembling those of a leaf.

Under sunlight, these patterns glow slightly, just like a living leaf undergoing photosynthesis.

"She has a complete vine-like circulatory system under her skin, which complements the vascular network."

Salamanda's tone was as if she were analyzing an academic specimen, calm and precise:
"This system not only provides additional magic transfer efficiency, but also has the function of transferring life force."

"Through skin contact, she can extract the life essence from the enemy for her own use, or inject toxins or parasitic spores into the opponent's body."

Those she touched would often be covered in thorny vines within minutes.

Edwin frowned. "This ability sounds troublesome. Wouldn't it put us at a complete disadvantage in close combat?"

“That’s right.” Salamanda nodded.
"But she also has obvious weaknesses. In the absence of light, her combat power will decrease significantly, and her reaction speed and mana regeneration will be affected."

Furthermore, she has an unusual fear of fire, which is a manifestation of her plant instincts.

The second projection replaced Leona's position.

“‘Poison Butterfly’ Winnie, whose magic compression is also five times, underwent nine years of modification, and is the ultimate case of insect-like modification.”

This figure was even more unsettling.

Winnie retains the basic outline of a human, but extends a pair of enormous butterfly wings behind her.

The wings are covered in a dazzling yet eerie array of colors, each spot as brilliant as a jewel, yet simultaneously radiating a dangerous warning.

Her eyes had become completely insect-like, exhibiting a complex structure, like two enormous black agates.

"Her wings are not only for flying, but also natural chemical weapons factories."

Salamanda's explanation sent a chill down the spines of the young people present:
"It can secrete more than a dozen different neurotoxins, ranging from hallucination to paralysis, from mania to sedation, covering almost all common effects."

"Moreover, her flying ability is exceptional, and her maneuverability in the air may be even greater than Patri's."

In addition, she can release information beams to confuse the enemy's judgment and create disorientation.

Patricia, being the only member capable of long-duration flights, couldn't help but feel a little nervous upon hearing this:
"Then what are her weaknesses?"

"While the insectification granted her agility and venom abilities, it also made her body extremely fragile."

A cold glint appeared in Salamanda's eyes:
"Her bone density is only one-third of that of a normal structure, so any effective physical blow could cause serious injury."

"Moreover, although insects' nervous systems react quickly, they are very poor at resisting interference."

A strong sound wave or light impact could render her temporarily incapacitated.

When the last projection appeared, even the usually composed Laku gasped.

"'Living Ovary' Caroline, with a magic compression rate of approximately seven times, underwent modification for fifteen years and is also the captain of the Tree of Life squad."

She is the product of an extremely enhanced reproductive system.

Caroline's appearance is actually the closest to that of a normal human being; in fact, she could be described as beautiful and charming.

However, her abdomen was noticeably larger than normal, exhibiting a curve resembling that of a pregnant woman.

In the projected image, the surface of her abdomen constantly and rhythmically undulated, as if some creature was moving within it.

What's even more disgusting is that there's a hole in her navel that can open and close, and occasionally something like a tentacle will peek out from it.

"She has a special incubation organ implanted in her body, which allows her to quickly 'produce' various biological weapons in battle."

Salamanda's voice became even lower:
"From small parasites to large combat creatures, given enough time and nutrition, she is a mobile military factory."

"At the same time, this transformation also endowed her with super resilience and environmental adaptability."

It's almost fair to say that as long as she has a breath left, she can regenerate rapidly.

Ron carefully observed the details in the projection.

With the aid of multiple observation capabilities, he noticed some things that others overlooked:
There was a deep weariness in Caroline's eyes.

"Her weakness is probably that each long 'birth' consumes a lot of physical strength, right?"

Ron asked tentatively.

“That’s right.” Salamanda nodded approvingly.

"Moreover, the long-term reform made her mental state very unstable, and sometimes she would experience confusion."

At such times, she often loses control of the bio-weapon.

(End of this chapter)