Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 503 Dissonant Intervals

The light sphere unfolded, and the scene it presented completely stunned Ron.

It was a simple drawing in the style of a child's painting, depicting a fairy tale scene with a crayon-like texture:
The Story of the Little Bear and the Honey Jar

In the picture, a chubby yellow bear is sitting under a big tree with a huge honey jar in front of it.

But this honey jar is very special.

It seems to be forever full, yet it also seems to be forever empty.

The little bear's expression was both greedy and conflicted; one paw was already reaching for the honey jar, while the other paw was scratching its head.

The story is told in simple, childlike language:

Once upon a time, there was a cute little bear named Winnie the Pooh, who loved to eat honey very much.

One day, it discovered a magical jar of honey.

There's so much honey in this jar, we can never finish it!
Every time Winnie eats a bite of honey, the jar is refilled.

Winnie the Pooh thought he must be the happiest bear in the world!

The illustrations began to undergo subtle changes.

As the story progresses, the details of the forest in the background are constantly being adjusted.

"However, as he ate more and more, Winnie noticed a strange phenomenon:"

The taste changes every time the honey is refilled.

Sometimes it's the sweetness of flowers, sometimes the fragrance of fruit, and sometimes even a bittersweet taste.

The little bear's expression became even more confused:
Winnie began to wonder: Where did these different flavored honeys come from?
It climbed to the top of the tree and looked around, discovering an amazing secret:

It turns out that every time it finishes a jar of honey, the entire forest will subtly change a little.

The flowers will change color, the birds will sing different songs, and even the sunlight will become different.

The image reveals subtle changes in the forest: the same grove of trees, but the details are constantly being adjusted—the shape of the leaves, the arrangement of the flowers, the direction of the path…

Even more strangely, some things that were originally there began to blur, as if they had never existed.

Winnie finally understood:

This magical honey jar actually uses the 'changes' of the entire forest to make honey!

Every bite of honey means that the forest has to lose something of its original state, and then something new grows to fill the gap.

The turning point of the story has arrived:

Winnie faces a difficult choice:

Continue to enjoy the delicious honey, but watch as the familiar forest gradually becomes unfamiliar;

Or perhaps we should give up honey and let the forest remain as it is, but then we'll never be able to enjoy that sweet taste again.

The bear in the illustration is deep in thought, while the surrounding forest is slowly and continuously changing.

What bothers Winnie the Pooh the most is:
It discovered that the other animals in the forest—rabbits, squirrels, and birds—did not seem to notice these changes.

They continue to live happily every day, as if everything is exactly the same as yesterday.

Only Winnie the Pooh knows the truth; only it remembers what the forest used to look like.

The story ends abruptly here, leaving an open ending:

"Kids, if you were Winnie the Pooh, what choice would you make?"
Should we continue eating honey to keep the world 'interestingly changing'?
Or should we abandon sweetness and let everything return to 'the eternity of boredom'?
Think about it, maybe the answer lies in your heart...

"Alright, that's the end of the story." The voice of "The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things" gently rang out:
"It's a funny little story, isn't it?"
What does the predicament this little bear faces resemble?

Ron stared at the struggling bear in the illustration, his mind racing as he analyzed the various possible meanings.

"Does the little bear represent... someone who knows the truth?" he tentatively asked.
"Those observers who can detect the changes?"

"A good start," the book encouraged. "Keep going, what about the honey jar?"

“A honey jar…” Ron thought carefully:

"If the changes in the forest are for the purpose of making honey, then honey itself must represent... some kind of benefit?"
Some kind of, um... benefit that only higher-level beings can enjoy?

“And the forest…” his voice grew heavier, “refers to the entire real world, to all ordinary people?”

"The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things" does not directly confirm this, but continues to guide the reader:

"So, what do the reactions of the other animals in the forest indicate?"

This question sent a chill down Ron's spine:
"They can't perceive the changes... Does this mean that the vast majority of life, including most wizards, cannot sense the process of reality being altered?"

"Even if history is rewritten and memories are altered, will they still believe that the new reality is the reality that 'has always been'?"

"A very keen insight." The book's voice carried an air of approval:

"So, what do you think this 'change in the forest' specifically refers to? Don't just stay at the macro level, think about the subtle details."

Ron recalled the specific changes in the forest depicted in the illustration:

Disappearing paths, altered flowers, and even some blurred existences.

"It's not just about major historical events..."

"And that includes those seemingly insignificant adjustments?"

"For example, could an overly dangerous individual be erased from historical records?"

"Are certain technologies that could have gotten out of control being removed from the development trajectory?"

"Is knowledge that easily attracts terrible pollution being blocked or tampered with?"

With each possibility he voiced, Ron felt a deeper wave of doubt wash over him.

If these speculations are correct, then their understanding of history is likely just a version that has been "optimized" countless times.

"Those truly dangerous entities, truly forbidden knowledge, and truly all-changing events... have all been quietly corrected?"

"Your comprehension is admirable." The voice of *The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary* deepened.

"This is the real mechanism by which things actually work."

Everyone enjoys the stable order brought about by the 'adjustment,' but the price is that civilization is confined to a specific 'track.'

"However," the book shifted its tone:
"Have you ever wondered why you are able to understand the true meaning of this fairy tale?"

This question gave Ron a thought.

According to the logic of fairy tales, if he were an ordinary animal in the forest, he shouldn't have noticed these changes.

"I..." His voice was uncertain, "Am I not a forest animal?"

Upon hearing this, Ron subconsciously thought of the records and data displayed on his career panel.

In the past, I was able to escape crises thanks to timely data alerts.

They seem unaffected by external influences, never changing according to his changes in cognition, recording a state of "absolute truth".

But then another question arose in his mind:
"Although I know these truths, for my current stage of growth..."

He frowned:
"Besides increasing the sense of urgency, it doesn't seem to have any direct practical value?"

He recalled every interaction with "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary".

The knowledge presented in this book always precisely matches his current needs.

From cooking techniques that harmonize bloodlines to architectural theories that construct from the void, not a single topic is pure idle talk.

“You wouldn’t tell me this for no reason,” he said confidently.
"This fairy tale must contain some kind of guidance that is useful for my current stage of cultivation?"

"Brilliant reasoning."

The voice in "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary" carried an approving tone:

"Here's a hint: what unique advantage do you think an existence with a 'forest outside perspective' would have in your current primary process of 'magic compression'?"

This question made Ron re-examine the story he had just heard.

He carefully savored every detail:
"The change of the forest...is achieved through 'losing the old and gaining the new'."

He said slowly:
"Moreover, this change is... gradual, continuous, and each time it is just a subtle adjustment."

“Well said, continue,” encouraged The Complete Explanation of the Extraordinary.

"Is the pain of magic compression similar to... the 'maladaptability' of a forest when it changes?"

Ron's thoughts gradually became clear:

"I've always viewed compression as a forced, violent process. But perhaps truly efficient compression should be... a gradual reconstruction?"

The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary chuckled with satisfaction:

"Outstanding reasoning, brilliant questions, and perfect answers."

"You can extract such profound patterns from a simple fairy tale and immediately map macro concepts to specific technical problems..."

The pages began to vibrate slightly, seemingly expressing some kind of excitement:
"This level of intellectual acuity and philosophical insight is, frankly, one of the highest levels of understanding I have ever seen."

“You know what? When Cassandra came to ask me that year, I gave her the same fable.”

But it took her three whole days to barely grasp its surface meaning, never touching upon its deeper philosophical core.

The voice in "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary" carries a clear sense of contrast:
"And you, not only grasped the core, but also took the initiative to extend the logic, deriving practical applications from the abstract."

This kind of wisdom is exactly the quality we need most.

It allows one to see through the absurd nature of reality without being lost in nihilism.

The pages were turned even more vigorously:
"Now I completely understand why so many people in high positions look at you differently."

"As a special reward for your philosophical talent, I have decided to activate your 'cultivation partner' ahead of schedule."

With the announcement of "The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things," a tiny figure appeared on the last page of the book.

It was an extremely cute white sheep, about the size of a palm.

It wore a small scholar's cap, and its eyes sparkled like black gemstones.

"Baa..." the little lamb let out a soft, adorable bleat. Then, somewhat shyly, it hid behind the pages of the book, peeking at Ron with only half of its fluffy head peeking out.

"This is a 'conceptual mentor,' which, although it cannot speak, has a deeper understanding of abstract concepts than most scholars."

The book, *The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary*, gently introduces the subject:
"It will help you understand the principles in an intuitive way when you are engaged in advanced training."

The little lamb seemed to understand the explanation and came out completely from behind the book.

It patted its chest with its little hooves and let out a proud "baa~".

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, it quickly pulled out a thin baton, as thin as a hair, from its little hat and waved it at Ron a few times, as if to say, "I'm very professional."

But perhaps because he was too nervous, the lamb moved a little clumsily and almost blew his hat off.

Ron couldn't help but laugh at this adorable behavior, which eased the heaviness he felt from the fairy tale.

"And this is the knowledge I'm going to give you next."

The pages began to turn at this moment, revealing a beautiful musical score.

The staff of this musical score is densely marked with various musical notes.

Many musical notes are connected by red lines.

"Is this a... musical score?" he asked, puzzled.

"Of course, this is a piece of music that cannot be played 'comfortably'."

The sound of "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary" becomes poetic:

"Its core characteristic is 'intentional disharmony'."

Looking at the sheet music, Ron began to interpret its meaning.

"You mean... the pain during the magic compression process is actually a necessary 'dissonant interval'?"

"Not only is it necessary, but it can also be 'directed' and 'resolved'."

The voice of the books became more profound:
"Most wizards try to eliminate pain during compression, just as musicians try to avoid all dissonant intervals."

But the real secret lies in actively creating specific 'disharmony,' and then, according to its inherent tendency to resolve, allowing the conflict to naturally transform into a higher level of harmony.

"Let our little tutor give you a visual demonstration."

The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary Continues:
"It will help you understand what 'the art of tension and resolution' means in the simplest way."

Upon hearing the instruction, the lamb immediately became serious.

With a gentle stomp of its hoof, the entire room began to undergo a wondrous transformation.

The walls became transparent, revealing an exquisite concert hall.

But the audience seats in this concert hall are not occupied by people, but by various abstract conceptual entities.

Golden spheres of "harmony," red cones of "conflict," flowing ribbons of "resolution"...

The little lamb hopped and skipped to the stage and pointed to a special piano.

Each key of this piano is marked with a different interval relationship and emits light of the corresponding color.

"Baa—" The little lamb first gently pressed the piano key marked "Pure First Degree".

Immediately, a pure golden light rose up, forming a perfect sphere in the air.

A tranquil and harmonious atmosphere permeated the entire concert hall.

"This is a state of perfect harmony."

The Complete Explanation of Extraordinary Things: Timely Explanation

"Stable but lacking in drive, like when the magic within you is completely still—safe, but unable to make progress."

The lamb nodded, then looked at Ron somewhat nervously.

Only after confirming that he was listening attentively did I carefully press the major second key.

This time, the light trembled noticeably.

The red cones representing "conflict" in the audience seats began to vibrate slightly.

The lamb immediately pointed to its own expression with its little hoof, making a frown, and then used the gesture to indicate that it was "uncomfortable but tolerable".

"Did you feel that subtle unease?" The book "Transcendental Explanation" continues:
"The tension created by the second degree makes the listener instinctively want to solve the problem."

Just like the pain you feel when your magic is compressed, that's not a mistake, but a natural reaction as power seeks a new balance.

Next, the little sheep pressed the "major second" and "augmented fourth" simultaneously, and the entire concert hall was filled with a jarring dissonance.

The lamb immediately made an exaggerated expression of pain, covering its ears with its little hooves, swaying its body and almost falling over.

"Baa baa—!" it cried in protest, clearly saying, "It's so painful!"

"Excessive disharmony can create unbearable pressure."

The Complete Explanation of the Extraordinary explains:

"It's like forcibly compressing magic without considering its inherent tendencies—it only causes destructive chaos."

Next, the little lamb began to play a complete melody:

First comes the stability of a pure first degree, then the tension of a major second is introduced, followed by a smooth transition of a minor third, and finally the sublimation and perfection of a pure octave.

Throughout the process, the light created a beautiful dance in the air.

From stillness to turmoil, from conflict to reconciliation, from tension to release.

"This is the basic cycle of 'tension-resolution'."

The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things concludes:
"The beauty of music does not come from avoiding conflict, but from the artistic resolution of conflict."

Ron watched the lamb's demonstration and seemed to understand something, beginning to connect music theory with magic manipulation.

"I understand..." he said slowly.

"The pain in the compression of magic is actually the 'dissonance' formed between different frequencies of magic flow."

I've been trying to eliminate this pain, but what I should really be doing is... guiding it to resolve naturally according to its inherent tendencies?

The little lamb jumped up excitedly, nodded repeatedly, and made a series of rapid "baa baa baa" sounds.

"A remarkably accurate understanding!" The Complete Explanation of Extraordinary Things affirmed on its behalf:
“Every bloodline and every magical trait has its own inherent ‘frequency’.”

When they meet, they will form varying degrees of consonance or dissonance depending on their frequency relationship.

"For example, your Thunder and Fire bloodline may form a 'Greater Seven Degrees' relationship with rational consciousness—close to harmony but still with subtle tension."

The Chaos Bloodline, along with other powers, often forms a "Fourth Dimension"—the most discordant yet also the most potentially transformative.

"This is the difference between a high-ranking wizard and an ordinary wizard."

Ordinary wizards attempt to avoid magical conflicts, while high-ranking wizards learn to control them.

The lamb nodded vigorously and then ran to Ron.

She patted his hand with her little hooves and made encouraging "baa" sounds, as if to say, "You can definitely do it!"

Ron gazed at the adorable "mentor" before him and couldn't resist reaching out and patting the little head with his finger.

The voice in "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary" became deeper:

"You need to understand that music theory itself is a branch of deconstruction."

Sound propagation follows the wave equation, harmony is formed based on mathematical proportions, and resonance is generated in accordance with the law of conservation of energy… all of these are manifestations of real-world laws.

"That's why almost all high-ranking wizards possess at least a sufficient appreciation for music."

It wasn't out of personal interest, but because music theory offered them another perspective on how reality works.

"The King of Illusions is a prime example; each of his scene creations is like conducting a symphony."

The proportions of different elements, the layering of illusions, the rhythm of sensory deception…

Upon hearing this, the little lamb made an expression of admiration.

"To put it more profoundly, a wizard who has mastered music theory has actually mastered the art of 'manipulation'."

Whether it's elemental proportions, bloodline fusion, or spell stacking, it's all essentially about adjusting the 'interval' between different powers.

“When you can control these relationships with the precision of a conductor, magical compression is no longer a painful torment, but an elegant art form.”

The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things provides a final summary.

Ron took a deep breath, savoring the new perspective that this new understanding brought.

The answer to the problem of controlling magic that had troubled him for so long was actually hidden in the wisdom of music theory.

When Professor Yutel was teaching me, he also particularly liked to use examples and analogies.

This kind of cross-disciplinary insight may be the essence of the wizarding system.

"Thank you for your guidance." He expressed his gratitude to "The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things."

"Now I understand that every pain is a note in growth, and every conflict is a prelude to harmony."

"No, it is your own wisdom that allows you to see the pattern in it."

The voice in "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary" was filled with satisfaction:

"Remember, you have the advantage of having a 'forest outside perspective'."

Other wizards are caught up in the conflict, but you can observe and command it from a higher level.

Like Winnie the Pooh in fairy tales, he may be lonely, but he possesses an insight that other animals lack.

This insight is your greatest advantage in your cultivation.

As this conversation ensued, the giant eye on the cover blinked, then closed completely, and the entire book returned to its slumber.

The little lamb peeked out from behind the pages of the book and gave Ron a soft, sweet "baa~".

It's as if it's saying, "I'll be there when you need me," before disappearing completely into the depths of the pages.

(End of this chapter)