Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 468 Soul Knight

On the platform of the Tree of Life school, Leonardo DiCaprio, the "Scalpel," is making final preparations.

"Lady Serafina, are our 'special arrangements' ready?"

"Of course, dear Leonardo."

Serafina's voice was as clear and melodious as a young girl's.
"I have 'optimized and adjusted' the coordinate matrix of the teleportation array. The participants will be randomly dispersed to more interesting locations."

Far away in the "Azure Garden," the witch gently stroked the armrest of the throne.

The arms that wove the chair immediately began massaging her shoulders:

"Our three carefully nurtured works of art will have a huge advantage in this chaos."

As for the other teams... well, they're about to face an unprecedented 'surprise.'

………………

At this time, all participating teams began to gather towards the teleportation array.

Ron walked in the middle of the Sand Sea School's group, but a vague unease lingered in his heart.

It wasn't a sense of threat from an enemy or the environment, but rather a more subtle kind of warning.

It was as if some unseen force was secretly observing him.

"This feeling."

He instinctively placed his hand on the storage bag in front of his chest, where the Paradox Dice were kept.

The mysterious die from the King of Absurdity began to tremble slightly as he approached the teleportation array.

Just as Leonardo was about to activate the teleportation program, an accident occurred.

The Paradox Dice ignored all seals and constraints, automatically popping out of the storage bag.

The die traced a strange arc in the air, and the blood-red patterns on its surface began to flash violently.

"what?"

Ron reached out to grab the die, but it deftly avoided his hand as if it were alive.

No one else present noticed this detail, because the Paradox Dice selectively revealed itself only to Ron.

The paradoxical die spun rapidly in the air, and the numbers on its surface began to change wildly.

Sometimes it displays "1", sometimes "6", and sometimes it even displays multiple numbers at the same time.

Each change in the points causes a subtle distortion in the surrounding reality.

Finally, the die landed on a number that shouldn't exist—"∞".

The infinity symbol burned like a branding iron, emitting a dazzling light.

On the other side, Leonardo stood on the viewing platform of the Tree of Life School, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming with excitement.

He seemed to casually run his finger along the edge of the human skin scroll.

A drop of crimson blood silently seeped into the teleportation array.

"Ah, that's really...unexpected."

He pushed up his glasses, a barely perceptible smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

The moment the blood merged into the magic circle, the coordinate matrix of the entire teleportation network began to shift subtly.

The originally precise spatial positioning began to show subtle inconsistencies, like the gears of a precision instrument being quietly adjusted at a few angles.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

Leonardo adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and gave an apologetic smile.
"I'm getting old, and my hands aren't very steady, but the teleportation array is already activated, so it shouldn't have too much of an impact."

Salamanda snorted black smoke and clenched her fists so tightly they cracked, but it was too late to say anything now that the die was cast.

The activated "paradoxical die" adds an extra variable to the process.

"This is...chaotic interference?"

Leonardo pushed up his glasses, a look of confusion in his eyes:
"How is that possible? We clearly shielded ourselves from all unstable factors."

After completing its "job," the Paradox Dice flew back to Ron's storage bag like lightning.

The entire process took less than two seconds, and no one except the person involved noticed anything unusual.

However, the result of the transmission was fundamentally changed as a result.

The precisely calculated coordinate parameters were completely disrupted, as if an invisible hand was reshuffling the deck.

The surrounding scenery began to distort and deform, like a watercolor painting being thrown into a whirlpool.

When the teleportation ended, Ron found himself not in one of the expected seven elemental zones, but standing in a terrifying, enormous cavern.

The surrounding area is a natural arcade formed by ancient keel bones, each of which is more than ten meters long and stands like a temple pillar.

These bones retain a strange integrity, showing neither decay nor petrification, as if Death had just finished reaping them and left.

Every bone was humming a different dirge, hundreds of sounds intertwined to form a complex and sorrowful requiem.

"here it is……"

Ron looked around and, with the help of "superhuman perception," saw even more details.

Scattered on the ground were fragments of bones from various creatures.

Not only are there dragons, but also the cartilage of tentacle monsters, the shells of crustaceans, and some strange structures that are completely unrecognizable.

Just as he was trying to understand the nature of this place, his "spirit vision" was automatically triggered.

Perhaps it was because the density of souls here was too high, or perhaps it was some unknown resonance effect, but Ron's perception began to spontaneously enter a coordinated state.

When the vision of the spirit world appeared before him, Ron almost cried out in surprise.

The entire cave was filled with thousands of translucent figures.

They flew, roared, and fought in the air, like a never-ending ghost war.

The dragon souls hovered in the air, maintaining the posture they had taken in their last moments before death.

Some were spewing flames, some were tearing at their enemies with their claws, and some were howling in pain.

Confronting the Dragon Soul are countless bizarre abyssal creatures.

Tentacle-like shadows danced in the air, and the remnant soul of the shelled monster emitted a piercing shriek.

There are also some distorted beings whose shapes cannot even be described, attacking everything in a frenzy.

These souls are completely immersed in their own world.

They mechanically repeat the same sequence of actions.

Attack, defend, counterattack, get injured, attack again.

Every action is precise to the millisecond, like an illusion trapped in an eternal loop.

Just as he was immersed in this shocking scene, a semi-transparent figure wearing a tattered robe floated in front of him.

This soul retains a relatively complete human form.

However, the robe's magnificent decorations had faded and lost their luster, and there were several obvious fatal wounds on it.

"Ahem, young survivor!"

The spirit cleared its non-existent throat and performed an ancient wizarding ritual towards Ron:
"Welcome to the Wailing Corridor! I am here... uh... I've forgotten what I used to be..."

His expression was somewhat confused, and his transparent fingers touched his temples:

"Memory is always unreliable, but politeness is something ingrained in our bones."

Just call me Sir Soul! Although I'm not sure if I ever actually held a title..."

"Soul Jazz?"

Ron carefully observed this unique soul and discovered that he was completely different from the other undead trapped in the cycle of battle.

Soul Lord maintains a clear sense of self and is able to communicate normally, which is an extremely rare phenomenon in the spirit world.

"Yes, yes! Soul Knight! What a great name!"

Soul Jazz clapped his hands excitedly, producing a hollow echo:
Ron cautiously returned the greeting: "Sir Soul, may I ask where this place is...?"

"Oh! You want to know about this place? That's great!"

Soul Knight's eyes (if those two hollows can be considered eyes) immediately lit up:
"Let me start from the beginning! This is the Great Hall of Wailing, built in the year 2847 of the Second Age."

No, it's 2748... or 2874? Oh well, it's a long time ago anyway!

He began to give a long and detailed introduction.

The discussion ranges from the architectural style of the corridors to the material analysis of the keel, and from the causes of the war to the family lineage of the participating wizards.

Ron soon realized that this soul had a kind of compulsive urge to narrate.

"...So you see, the seventeenth vertebra over there produces a B-flat major tone, while the eighteenth produces a C-sharp major tone, forming a perfect augmented fourth interval, which is the legendary 'devil's interval'!"

Soul Knight pointed to the skeleton above his head, his expression one of rapture:

"This is no coincidence! The wizard who was in charge of collecting the bodies back then was a music lover, and he arranged these bones according to the musical scale."

It is said that he wanted to create a 'Symphony of Death', but before he could finish it, he was corrupted by the abyss and turned into…

He suddenly stopped, his eyes becoming unfocused:

"What did it turn into again? I can't remember..."

Ron observed this peculiar soul and discovered that his memories seemed to be selectively missing.

They can remember a lot of trivial details, but forget the most crucial information.

He talked on and on, like an old man who had been living alone for a long time suddenly meeting a guest and eagerly wanting to share all the words he had accumulated.

"Judging from the star emblem on your collar, were you an astrologer in your lifetime?"

Ron gleaned some clues from Sir Soul's attire and tentatively inquired.

"Astrologer! Yes, yes, yes! I remember now!"

Soul Lord was so excited that his entire spirit body began to glow:
"I am Savvis Antonio, an astrologer from the Second Age! Specializing in prophecies of disasters and warnings of fate!"

As the name was recalled, the image of Soul Knight became clearer.

Those magnificent robes regained their luster, and the astrologer's badge appeared on their chest, signifying their identity. Even their faces became clearer.

“I remember now… I predicted that this war would end in the destruction of both sides.”

Soul Jazz's voice grew heavy:

"But the great wizards and wizard kings of that time were unwilling to hear such 'defeatist' prophecies."

They said I was a spy from the Abyss, a traitor to the wizards… and in the end, they executed me here for ‘spreading panic.’”

He smiled bitterly and shook his head:
Ironically, the war did indeed unfold as I predicted.

The dragons and the abyssal creatures perished together, leaving behind this eternal battlefield as a memorial. "And my soul is trapped where the prophecy was fulfilled, becoming the only 'guide' here who still remembers the truth."

A sly glint appeared in Soul Knight's eyes:

"I can't help but tell every living person I meet about everything here; it's probably some kind of curse."

But after so many years of practice, I've become quite professional at being a tour guide!

Ron carefully observed the ancient astrologer's soul state.

With the added insight from the intellectual triangle, he discovered that although Savas maintained his autonomy, he did indeed have a kind of compulsive "introduction urge".

Whenever he begins to recount the history of this place, his entire spirit body radiates a resonant light, as if this act provides him with some form of satisfaction.

"This phenomenon..."

Ron analyzed in his mind:

"It should be the result of the soul being fixed to a specific behavioral pattern."

Perhaps it was this compulsive sense of duty that allowed him to maintain his sanity for nearly two eras.

Just then, Savis suddenly stopped his presentation, a shrewd glint in his eyes like that of a businessman:

"That's right! Young wizard, you must have come for those glittering elemental crystals, right?"

He pointed to the depths of the cave, where a faint, colorful light was indeed flickering:

"This place contains the richest elemental crystal veins in the entire quicksand land!"
The resonance of the dragon bones over so many years has made the crystals here far superior to those in other areas!

At this point, his tone suddenly turned dangerous:
"After ten thousand years of lonely waiting, I have also mastered some interesting abilities."

An eerie flame began to burn in Soul Knight's eyes:
"For example, I can determine whether a visitor is qualified to leave here."

The necromantic energy in the air began to stir, as if sensing the change in its master's emotions.

The scattered bones began to tremble slightly, emitting a teeth-grinding grinding sound.

"If you want to obtain the elemental crystals here and leave alive, you must pass my test."

Savis's voice carried a certain coercive force:
"Three riddles, each a matter of life and death. Answer them correctly, and you'll reap rewards surpassing all others. Answer them incorrectly..."

He pointed to the souls in the distance, still locked in an eternal battle:
"You will join them and stay here with me forever."

"This is neither a request nor an invitation. These are the rules of the Wailing Corridor, and my authority as its guardian!"

Upon hearing this condition, Ron raised an eyebrow.

In the wizarding world, "exchange" is the most fundamental law.

“I accept your terms, Senior Savis.”

Ron nodded solemnly: "Please give me the question."

"Good, good! It's been so long since I've met such a polite young person!"

The first puzzle was quickly posed.

Soul Knight floated to a huge dragon skeleton.

It was the skull of an ancient dragon, with a faint magical glow still lingering in the empty eye sockets.

"Listen carefully, this is the famous 'Dragon Riddle'."

He cleared his throat (though the soul doesn't need this gesture):

A dragon said, "All dragons are lying." Is this dragon telling the truth or lying?

This is a classic logical paradox.

If this dragon is telling the truth, then the statement "all dragons are lying" includes itself, so it is lying.

But if it's lying, then the saying "all dragons are lying" is false, meaning some dragons are telling the truth...

Ron pondered for a moment, recalling what he had seen and heard in the quicksand.

"This is a logical paradox, and it has no solution in a purely logical system."

He said confidently:

"But in the world of dragons, the truth does not depend on logic, but on power."

The words of the strong are the truth, and the words of the weak are meaningless.

Therefore, the answer to this question is—if it's the Dragon King speaking, then it's the truth; if it's an ordinary or even weak dragon, then it's a lie.

Soul Jazz was stunned, his translucent mouth agape in an "O" shape.

"This...this is not the standard answer! My prepared answer is 'the paradox is unsolvable'!"

He scratched his head and circled Ron several times:
"But...but what you said seems to make more sense."

Indeed, in the Second Age, the Dragon King's words were law, and even contradictory statements had to be accepted as truth.

He sighed:
"You pass! Young man, you understand the nature of this world better than I expected."

………………

The second puzzle is more philosophical.

Soul Knight drifted among the eternally battling souls and pointed to himself:

"The second question is 'The definition of death'."

I have been dead for over ten thousand years, yet I can still think, speak, and remember. So, am I dead or alive?

This time, Ron used his newly acquired "spirit perception" ability to carefully observe Savis's state of being.

In his vision of the spirit world, he saw a deeper truth.

Savas's soul is not whole, but rather pieced together from countless fragments, each of which cycles through different dimensions of time.

Some fragments remain frozen at the moment of his death, while others constantly relive memories of his life.

“In the material world, you have indeed died, and your body has returned to dust.”

Ron said slowly:

"But in the spirit world, you still exist, only the form of your existence has changed."

Death is not the end, but a transformation.

From material existence to spiritual existence, from linear time to cyclical time.

"You are dead because you have lost your physical body and linear life;
You are also alive because you retain consciousness and memory.

The boundary between life and death is not as absolute in the spiritual realm as it is in the material realm.

Soul Lord's spirit trembled violently; if he still had tears, they would surely be streaming down his face by now.

"Finally... finally someone understands!"

His voice was trembling:

"For ten thousand years, I have been thinking about this question!"
The wizards who passed by either said I was dead or that I was a hallucination; no one ever truly understood my existence!

He floated around excitedly, nearly piercing through several dragon bones:
"You're right! Absolutely right! I exist between life and death, in a state between matter and spirit!"

………………

The third puzzle is the most profound.

Soul Knight led Ron to the center of the corridor, the area where the battle was most intense.

Every movement and expression of the ghosts was exactly the same as in the previous cycle, with a terrifying precision.

"The third question—'The nature of time'."

Savas's tone turned serious:

“Look at them, they repeat the same battle every day, the same moves, the same result.”

Does time even exist for them?

If it exists, what form will it take?

Ron activates the "Eye of Observation".

This ability, originating from the Observer Star, allows him to directly perceive the flow of time.

Time, which flows normally in the eyes of ordinary people, takes on a complex form in his view.

The entire Howling Corridor is enveloped in a giant time bubble, where time inside is twisted and looped like a Möbius strip.

Even more remarkably, he witnessed two timelines existing simultaneously:
The time of the fighting spirits is a closed circle, constantly cycling, with no distinction between past and future;

The timeline in which he and Soul Jazz exist is spiraling upwards.

Although it repeats to some extent, there are subtle changes in each cycle.

"Time is a cyclical circle for them, with each moment repeating itself infinitely."

Ron pointed to the fighting spirits:
"For us, it is a line of progress, or more accurately, a spiral. Both perspectives of time are real, just on different dimensions."

"Just like a three-dimensional being looking at a two-dimensional plane, our linear time includes their cyclic time, but their cycles are also complete in themselves."

Time is not a single river, but an ocean formed by the confluence of countless tributaries.

"Both views of time are real, they just exist in different dimensions."

It's like a toroidal plane; it looks like a circle from the front and a straight line from the side.

The same object appears in different forms depending on the viewing angle.

"And while their behavior may seem meaningless, it is precisely this repetition that maintains the stable existence of the entire Howling Corridor."

Without their 'cycle,' this place would have collapsed long ago.

"Therefore, their battle is both a curse and a protection."

Upon hearing this answer, Savis's entire spirit body fell into a deep silence.

After a long silence, he spoke slowly, his voice filled with an emotion he had never felt in two eras:

"A genius...a true genius..."

“Child, you have not only understood the essence of time, but also the meaning of what exists here.”

"For so many years, I have believed that those souls who repeatedly fight are victims of a curse."

But you made me realize that they are actually the guardians of this place, the cornerstone that maintains the stability of the Wailing Corridor.

Soul Knight floated in front of Ron and solemnly performed a wizard's salute once more:

“Young sage, you have passed my three tests of wisdom.”

"Now, please follow me. I'm going to show you the most precious collection here."

(End of this chapter)