Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 488 "Sacred Seed"

Salyn Vistula was sitting at her desk, intently studying a thick ancient book.

At this point in time, she was still one of the most outstanding geniuses among the younger generation of the Crystal Spire, and was highly regarded by all her mentors.

The room's bookshelves were neatly arranged with various academic works, experimental equipment was scattered on the desk, and various formulas and theoretical derivations were posted on the walls.

Everything was in perfect order, filled with a strong academic atmosphere.

Ron carefully observed this historical scene, trying to find key clues to Salyn's downfall.

Just then, he noticed a detail—Saline was wearing a peculiar ornament around her neck.

It was a seed-shaped object, as black as night, about the size of a cherry.

At first, Ron thought it was just an ordinary decoration.

But when he looked closer, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The surface of the seed is covered with dense vein-like patterns.

These patterns pulsate slowly with Salyn's breathing, as if they contain some kind of living life force.

The energy fluctuations emanating from this seed gave Ron a strong sense of déjà vu.

"This energy characteristic..."

He searched his memory for similar feelings and soon found the answer—the seed of the throne.

After defeating the "Holy Disc," he had close contact with the red throne seed left behind by the opponent.

That unique abyssal primordial energy left an extremely deep impression on him.

Although the black seed in front of us is obviously of a lower grade, its essential characteristics are exactly the same as those of the Throne Seed.

"Sacred Seed..."

Ron confirmed the identity of the item in his mind.

Based on what he learned from "The Complete Explanation of the Extraordinary".

The Supreme Apostles typically create “seeds” of various levels to expand their influence.

The red Throne Seed symbolizes the successor to the Supreme Apostle, while the black Holy Seed is a tool used to cultivate potential Apostles.

But this discovery raises an even more perplexing question:

The natural posture with which Salyn wore this sacred seed suggests that it was not a newly acquired item, but rather something that had become part of her daily attire.

She didn't even seem to realize the special nature of the piece of jewelry, wearing it simply as an ordinary accessory.

"If Salyn had possessed this sacred seed earlier, her fall from grace might have occurred sooner than expected..."

Just as Salyn was engrossed in reading, the dormitory door was gently pushed open.

A middle-aged man who looked like a librarian walked in, carrying a stack of old documents.

“Miss Wistra, these are the reference materials for your application.”

The administrator's voice was very respectful:

"Several of these books were just discovered in the storage room, and their contents should be very helpful to your research."

Salyn looked up, a grateful smile on her face:
"Thank you so much, Mr. Green. You always manage to find the most suitable information."

Ron's attention was completely drawn to the few "newly discovered" documents.

In his perception, these documents exuded a distinct sense of temporal distortion.

They look like ancient books, but they were actually made much newer than their apparent age.

After Green left, Salyn was immediately drawn to these "newly discovered" documents.

She opened the first book, her thirst for knowledge burning ever brighter.

"A Deep Exploration of the Essence of the Soul..."

She whispered the book title, her voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement:
"This theoretical framework... is so complete... why have I never heard of this research direction before?"

The pages of the book contain fascinating theories:

Regarding how the soul can break free from the body's constraints, how to achieve true immortality, and how to transcend the limitations of the cycle of life and death...

Each concept was packaged exquisitely, exuding the rigorous appearance of academic research.

But deep within these beautiful theories lie the most insidious temptations of the abyss.

As she continued reading, the black holy seed on Salyn's chest began to emit a faint glow.

The veins on the seed surface moved more actively, as if resonating with the contents of the book.

Most importantly, Salyn herself was completely unaware of this anomaly.

Her entire attention was drawn to the contents of the document, and she was completely unaware that she was being subjected to the mental pollution of the abyss.

"This method..."

As she read, she jotted down her thoughts on paper:
"If the theory holds true, we can completely solve the ultimate problem that plagues intelligent life: death..."

"Imagine if everyone could achieve true immortality... what a magnificent achievement that would be..."

Time flew by as Ron observed it.

He noticed subtle changes beginning to occur in Salyn's daily life:
She spent more and more time on these "special documents" and her interest in regular classes gradually declined;

She began to try some of the "basic experiments" described in the book, and although the results were weak, they were enough to prove the feasibility of the theory;
Most importantly, she began to proactively share this "newly discovered" knowledge with her classmates...

Salyn Vistula was sitting at a round table, having a seemingly harmless academic discussion with several outstanding students from her cohort.

"I have recently had some new thoughts on the nature of the soul."

Her voice retained the rigor characteristic of a scholar, but Ron keenly sensed the subtle persuasiveness it contained:
Traditional theories hold that the soul and body are an inseparable unity, but what if this understanding is wrong?

Sitting opposite her was a young Valen, along with several other students from the same class.

Valen's expression was focused and serious; he was clearly captivated by this academic topic.

"You mean, the soul might have some kind of independence? That's an interesting idea, but it lacks empirical support."

"Empirical evidence?"

Salyn chuckled softly:
“Warren, you should know that cutting-edge theories often surpass the verification capabilities of existing empirical methods.”

She gently placed the book in the center of the table; the cover was inscribed with the words "Philosophical Speculation on the Leap of the Soul" in ancient shamanic script:
"I found this book deep within the library's archives. The theoretical framework it contains... is astounding."

At this moment, the energy fluctuations emanating from the book resonated subtly with the sacred seed on Salin's chest, as if the two were originally a matching tool for contamination.

"The author of this book put forward a revolutionary idea."

Salyn turned the page and pointed to a passage written in ancient wizarding script:

"If the soul truly possesses independence, then theoretically, we could achieve true immortality—not by extending the lifespan of the physical body, but by freeing consciousness itself from the constraints of matter."

This statement immediately piqued the interest of everyone present.

After all, death is the ultimate fear for any intelligent life form.

Theories that can transcend this fear are naturally very attractive.

"It sounds wonderful, but how likely is it to come true?"

A student from the Elemental Garden raised a question:

"Even if the soul truly possesses independence, we lack the technical means to directly manipulate it."

"That's the most exciting part."

A fanatical light gleamed in Salyn's eyes:
"The book not only provides a theoretical framework, but also gives specific technical paths."

Of course, this requires some... courage to break free from traditional constraints.

Subtle suggestive hints began to appear in her words.

It's not about direct incitement, but about instilling a desire for "breakthrough" and "transcendence" in the hearts of the audience through knowledge sharing.

Valen frowned:

“Saline, what exactly do you mean by ‘breaking through traditional constraints’? If it involves dangerous experiments, we should report to our supervisor first.”

"tutor?"

Salleh's expression showed obvious contempt:
"Valen, do you really think those conservative old scholars want to see young people surpass their achievements?"

These words, like a poisoned needle, precisely pierced the most sensitive part of Valen's heart.

As a gifted young wizard, Valen did indeed feel frustrated when his mentor rejected certain research directions.

Salyn's words awakened a deep-seated distrust of authority within him.

“Furthermore,” Salyn continued, “…”
"Shouldn't true academic exploration be driven by our generation?"

If we always wait for permission from those who came before us, we will forever remain trapped within the framework they have drawn.

This argument seems logically sound, but its underlying rebellious tendencies are subtly altering the listener's value judgments.

Salyn is leading her classmates down a dangerous path in an extremely subtle way.

"However, I understand everyone's caution."

Salyn closed the book, her tone softening once more:
"This theory is indeed too avant-garde and needs more time to digest and understand."

She got up to leave, but at the last moment "casually" added:
"If anyone is interested in this topic, feel free to contact me privately to discuss it."

After all, genuine academic exchange should not be subject to excessive external constraints.

This sentence stays in the minds of the listeners like a hook.

Instead of forcing anyone to accept her views, Salyn encouraged them to seek more information by sparking their curiosity.

………………

"Allen, you absolutely have to see this!"

A few days later, Salyn excitedly showed her friends the latest experimental results.

On the experimental table, a laboratory mouse is in a strange state:
Its body was dead; its heartbeat and breathing had stopped, but its consciousness remained active.

"This is impossible……"

The pink-haired witch, still young and beautiful at the time, stared in astonishment at this counterintuitive sight:
"Death and consciousness are inseparable; this is a fundamental law of life sciences..."

"But now the rule has been broken!"

Salleh's voice was filled with the fervor of a scientist facing a major discovery:
"We've discovered a way to free consciousness from the constraints of the body! Imagine the possibilities for this technology..."

She paced excitedly in the laboratory:
"If we could extract human consciousness from an aging body and transplant it into a more robust vessel..."

That would mean true immortality!

Allen carefully observed the mice on the lab table, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper:

"Saline, are you sure this state doesn't have a negative impact on consciousness itself?"
This lab mouse's behavior... seems somewhat abnormal..."

Indeed, although the mice still respond to external stimuli, their behavior becomes extremely mechanized.

All the movements have a certain formulaic characteristic, lacking the randomness and creativity that a living being should have.

"This 'anomaly' precisely proves the success of the consciousness extraction!"

Salyn explained excitedly:

"A consciousness freed from the constraints of the physical body will naturally exhibit characteristics that differ from those of ordinary living beings."

This is not a flaw, but evolution! The images projected from history continued to flow.

Ron observed that in the following weeks, several students did indeed "accidentally" approach Salyn, asking for more details about "soul leaps."

Salyn, however, always remained cautious, emphasizing that this was merely a theoretical discussion and would not involve any actual experiments.

But at the same time, she began to selectively share some "supplementary materials".

More elaborately forged ancient documents, and some seemingly harmless basic experimental protocols.

Most importantly, she began to observe everyone's reactions and identify those who were most easily influenced.

Valen showed sufficient rationality throughout this process.

He was indeed interested in theory, but always insisted on conducting research through proper channels.

A month later, Salyn's "research group" had grown to several dozen people.

These are the elite of the younger generation of the Crystal Spire, and each of them is full of expectations for the prospect of "immortality of consciousness".

They gathered in a hidden underground laboratory, conducting increasingly daring experiments.

"Today, we will attempt to extract consciousness from a more advanced organism."

Salyn stood before the lab table, her tone filled with the professional authority of a scholar:

“We have already verified the feasibility of the technology on small animals, and now it’s time to move on to the next step.”

An anesthetized chimpanzee lies on the experimental table, its head connected to complex monitoring equipment.

The young wizards around them were filled with anticipation, none of them realizing how dangerous an experiment they were participating in was.

"Remember, we are not killing it, we are liberating it."

Salyn's voice was as infectious as a sermon:

"Through consciousness extraction, this ape will gain a form of existence that transcends the physical body. This is an evolutionary leap, not death."

The experiment begins.

A complex magic circle lit up around the gorilla, and various strange energies began to flow around the experimental table.

In her hand, Salyn held a deep purple crystal, the very same dangerous object that would later be known as the "polluted crystal."

As the ceremony proceeded, the orangutan's vital signs began to decline rapidly.

But at the same time, a kind of wisdom that did not belong to animals began to gleam in its eyes.

"Success!"

A young assistant shouted excitedly:
"Consciousness extraction complete! It has acquired a new form of existence!"

Indeed, although the gorilla is physically dead, its consciousness remains active.

It even began to use gestures for simple communication, demonstrating an intelligence level far exceeding that of ordinary chimpanzees.

"This technology... it's simply a miracle..."

The students watching were all shocked:
"If it could be applied to humans..."

But Ron noticed that the intelligent glint in the eyes of this "immortal" gorilla carried a clear hint of malice.

The look in its eyes when it looks at humans is no longer the harmless curiosity of an animal, but the cold calculation of a predator.

The other animals in the laboratory used for basic experiments began to show an instinctive fear of the chimpanzee.

They huddled in the corner of the cage, emitting faint moans, as if sensing some deep-seated threat.

“Miss Salyn, I think this gorilla’s behavior is a bit…unusual.”

A more sensitive student raised a question:
"The way it looked at us... made me very uncomfortable..."

"This is a normal adaptive response."

Salyn waved her hand dismissively:

"When consciousness separates from the body, cognitive patterns will naturally change."

We should not judge new forms of existence using old standards.

She walked up to the gorilla, attempting to engage in a deeper conversation with it:

"I know you understand what I'm saying. Tell me, how are you feeling right now?"

The gorilla slowly raised its head and stared at Salyn with its malicious eyes.

Then, it did something that shocked everyone.

It smiled.

That wasn't an animal expression simulation; it was a genuine, malicious human smile.

"very good……"

The gorilla spoke, its voice hoarse but clear:

"It's so much better than before..."

Its sound carries a kind of twisted pleasure, like the satisfaction of tasting delicious food.

The atmosphere in the room froze instantly.

This phenomenon has completely exceeded the scope of normal experiments.

Valen, who was also in the crowd at this moment, finally mustered up the courage to speak loudly:

"Saline! Stop the experiment immediately! This is no longer normal academic research!"

But Salyn's reaction shocked everyone.

Instead of stopping her experiments, she unleashed even more magic, continuing to transform other experimental animals and even corrupting human wizards.

"You're all cowards!"

Salyn's voice began to echo with a kind of terrifying force:

"Faced with a real breakthrough, you chose fear and retreat!"

At this moment, the sacred seed on her chest had begun to emit a distinct black light.

The light spread through the air like ink, causing a reality distortion effect wherever it touched.

Warren realized that the situation was completely out of control.

But at this crucial moment, he made a choice that he would later regret for the rest of his life.

He chose to escape.

It was neither a courageous confrontation nor a rational dissuasion.

Instead, he turned and rushed out of the laboratory, leaving the others to face unknown dangers.

………………

He had barely escaped when the pink-haired witch burst in, staff in hand.

But it was too late. Salin raised her hands and whispered something devilish:

"Mor'thak nelar vex kuthari"

(Let darkness embrace these lost souls)
"Zephys naleth korvain du'math"

(Let the truth illuminate their blind eyes)
As the incantation and ritual progressed, the witch's appearance underwent a horrific transformation:

Her long golden hair turned an eerie silver-white, floating in the air like silk threads;
The skin has an unnatural grayish-white color and is covered with scale-like patterns on the surface;
What's most terrifying is her smile.

That satisfied and ecstatic expression was as if he were savoring the most delicious food in the world.

“Alan…”

Salyn's voice is no longer human:
"You are finally here. I have been waiting for you."

Allen gripped his staff tightly, struggling to suppress the pain in his heart:
“Saline, this is not you. The real you would never become like this.”

"This isn't me?"

Salyn's laughter was full of sarcasm:
"No, Allen. This is the real me."

The naive witch from before was nothing more than a false mask shaped by social norms.

She slowly stood up:
"The essence of this universe is hunger—an eternal, insatiable hunger."

Only by understanding and embracing this essence can we gain true power.

Allen understood that Salyn was completely lost.

Pollution not only changed her appearance, but also distorted her entire value system.

In Salyn’s eyes, everything she did was “saving” and “enlightening”, and this self-perception made her immune to any persuasion.

The pink-haired witch didn't say anything more, but silently raised her staff.

The duel between the two is about to begin.

But at this crucial moment, in the historical projection, Salyn suddenly looked straight in the direction where Ron was.

It wasn't just simple eye contact.

In the perception of historians, this "gaze" across time signifies that a certain protection has been broken.

There should be an insurmountable barrier between the observer and the observed.

But now, this barrier is being quietly eroded by some malicious force.

"Another naive observer has arrived."

Salyn said softly in the historical projection:

There will always be people who want to learn something from the lessons of the past.

But you will never understand—history is never a static record, but a living, evolving entity.

Ron’s consciousness space began to resonate subtly.

The feeling was as if something was gently tapping on his mental defenses, tentatively searching for a crack to penetrate.

This is not a direct psychological attack, but rather a more covert and persistent "planting" process.

“Every observation is a new sowing. Every observer becomes a new vehicle for communication.”

Salyn's voice echoed in Ron's mind like a dream, carrying a chilling intimacy:

"Thank you for coming, spy from the other side."

Through your eyes, I see even more interesting possibilities.

Danger!

The silver pocket watch on his chest vibrated violently.

Ron could clearly sense that the other party was using the medium of historical projection to implant some kind of "seed" deep into his consciousness.

Once this seed takes root in his spirit, it will begin a slow but continuous process of contamination.

This is the tactic that "Sweet Nightmare" Salin excels at.

It is not through violent conquest, but through seduction that infection is achieved.

Ron forced himself to remain rational and kept thinking of a solution.

(End of this chapter)