Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 132: Morning Star, Moon, and Dark Sun
"First, regarding myself, you can think of me as a kind of basic intelligence that arises naturally from an object."

The Shapeshifter began to explain:
"Also, I need to acquire soul energy by killing creatures to recharge my energy. This is also the reason why the previous personality ran a robbery team in Lizard Alley."

Ron nodded, which was consistent with his guess.

"But the expenses of maintaining a mercenary team are not small."

The shapeshifter continued, "So the savings aren't huge. It only adds up to ten whole magic stones. Now, they're all yours."

A windfall of ten magic stones! It was enough to make him overjoyed.

The shapeshifter pointed to a heavy metal box that Ron had brought back earlier:
"In addition to the magic stone, there is another special item you can use."

Ron opened the box curiously and found that it was a storage box that could completely isolate objects from magical fluctuations. Inside was a piece of metal about the size of a palm, which was a deep silver-gray color.

"what is this?"

Ron carefully picked up the piece of metal and felt the mysterious energy contained in it.

"Soulsteel." The shapeshifter's mechanical voice was filled with a hint of awe.
"An extremely rare and extraordinary material. Weapons forged from it possess astonishing plasticity, capable of freely changing form according to the holder's needs."

Ron's eyes widened. "What's the value?"

"It's hard to measure," the shapeshifter replied.
"In the Dwarven City-State Union, this piece of soul steel is enough to buy a small city. Even if we use magic stones as the unit of measurement, it is difficult to accurately estimate the price."

Ron carefully put the soul steel back into the storage box and began to think about how to use this precious material.

"Also, regarding the Sands of Time," the Shapeshifter continued:

"That is indeed the key ingredient to activate the Time Guardian Pocket Watch. However, true Sand of Time is extremely rare and can only be formed in areas where the flow of time is abnormal."

"And the vial I gave you was collected over the years. It's enough for preliminary experiments, but I'm afraid more will be needed to fully activate the pocket watch."

Ron carefully placed the soul steel back into the storage box, his thoughts turning to the issue of the Sands of Time.

He stared at the small bottle of golden sand that was sparkling with a strange light, and countless questions surged in his mind.

"I still have many questions about the Sands of Time. First of all, how was it formed?"

The shapeshifter seemed to anticipate this question:
"This question involves some information you may have heard."

"Have you heard of the 'Bloodline Altar' recently?"

Ron raised his eyebrows. He didn't expect the shapeshifter to bring this up.

"I have heard of it. It is said to be a mysterious place located in the cracks of some foreign land here."

“More than just a mysterious place.”

The shapeshifter's mechanical voice deepened. "The Bloodline Altar is actually a projection of time from an ancient world, a frozen fragment of history. The Sands of Time are traces of time formed in this unique environment."

Ron's eyes lit up: "You mean, you got these Sands of Time from the Bloodline Altar?"

"That's right. Whenever the Crystal Spire and the Black Mist School opened the Bloodline Altar, the previous personality would secretly send subordinates to try to collect the time fragments that were scattered during the opening process."

Its mechanical voice revealed a hint of helplessness:

"But this is by no means an easy task. Each operation consumes a great deal of manpower, and the gains are extremely limited. The small bottle of Sand of Time in your hand represents all the accumulation of the past few decades."

Ron looked thoughtfully at the golden sand in the bottle.

Under the light, they appear to have a flowing texture, as if each grain contains countless tiny fragments of time.

"What exactly is this bloodline altar? Can you explain it in detail?"

The shapeshifter can only express regret:
"Unfortunately, I know very little about the altar's specific circumstances. As a rare and ancient relic, it can only be confined to the small area around Lizard Alley, and I cannot personally travel to that foreign rift."

"I can only rely on the descriptions of those men who happened to escape, and..."

The shapeshifter paused. "And the horrible aura that spreads here every time the altar is opened."

"Horror?" Ron keenly caught the word.

The shapeshifter's form seemed to tremble slightly:

"That was a pressure powerful enough to make all living things tremble. Even from a great distance, I still felt an instinctive fear... That was the aura of a Dark Sun-class wizard."

A hint of doubt flashed in Ron's eyes. "Dark Sun Class? I've never heard of this classification."

"That's the level of division after breaking through to become a formal wizard."

The shapeshifter explained, "In order of increasing power, they are Morning Star, Lunar Star, and Dark Sun. Above that is the legendary realm of the Great Wizard, which is beyond my comprehension."

Ron silently digested this information, and his understanding of the extraordinary world expanded again.

"The strongest person in the Black Mist School is only the vice-president, who is said to have reached the Moon Level."

The Shapeshifter continued, "And the Crystal Spire always sends a Dark Sun-level wizard to lead the team to the Bloodline Altar."

"How powerful is the destructive power of the Dark Sun class?" Ron couldn't help but ask.

"Simply speaking of pure destructive power, a Dark Sun-class wizard using metamagic techniques could easily evaporate nearly a thousand miles of ocean, or directly sink a small or medium-sized landmass."

There was a hint of awe in the shapeshifter's voice:
"If that Dark Sun-class wizard from the Crystal Spire really attacks with all his might, this region encompassing the human kingdom and numerous alien territories would likely be reduced to ashes in an instant."

Ron couldn't help but gasp.

Such a terrifying power was beyond his imagination.

A Dark Sun-level wizard could destroy a continent, so how much stronger would a wizard with a fundamental life gap above that be...

As recorded in the book, is it enough to shatter stars and even move huge galaxies?
But this also made him more convinced of the value of the Bloodline Altar - since such a powerful being could personally escort it, this altar must contain extremely precious opportunities.

"The Crystal Spire attaches so much importance to the Bloodline Altar. It seems I must find a way to gain entry." Ron said firmly.

The Shapeshifter affirmed:

"With your talent and potential, coupled with the various resources you currently possess, it's not impossible for you to secure a spot. However, even when entering the altar, you must remain cautious. A place guarded by a Dark Sun-level wizard must be equally dangerous."

Ron thought for a moment and asked again:

"Regarding the Sands of Time, do you know how to most effectively use them to activate the pocket watch?"

"I only know it's a key ingredient, but I don't know the specific activation method." The shapeshifter shook his head.

"I'm afraid you'll need to figure it out on your own, but since the pocket watch has already shown some initial reaction to you, I believe you'll find the right way."

Ron picked up the vial and carefully observed the golden sand inside, his mind full of thoughts.

Obtaining more Sand of Time from the Bloodline Altar and fully activating the Time Guardian Pocket Watch will be one of his next important goals.

It paused, then added:
"As a pre-programmed auxiliary program, I will do my best to assist you in exploring the truth of this world, finding more rare artifacts, and unlocking their power."

Ron nodded, his eyes falling on the Sand of Time on the lab table and the storage box containing the Soul Steel, and he had already begun to think about his next plan.

As the opening time of the Bloodline Altar approaches, he must speed up and be fully prepared for the upcoming opportunities and challenges.

The shapeshifter patiently answered all his questions, and finally said casually:

"I can sense the presence of other rare and ancient artifacts within a general range. If I sense their presence around me, I will notify you."

"Okay, it's time for me to go to sleep. If you need anything, just let me know..."

After saying that, the shapeshifter turned into a ball of silver liquid, attached itself to Ron's skin again, and soon entered a dormant state.

Like an almost imperceptible film, it was perfectly hidden beneath his body surface.

Ron took a deep breath and looked at the storage box and the Sands of Time on the table. A slight sense of satisfaction rose in his heart. Today's harvest far exceeded his expectations. Not only did he gain powerful protection and camouflage abilities, but he also collected the key ingredients to activate the pocket watch and priceless soul steel.

………………

In the following time, Ron immersed himself completely in the study of the Sands of Time.

In the most secret laboratory of the workshop, he carefully tried various methods to activate more functions of the pocket watch.

"According to the results of the extraordinary identification, the pocket watch needs to match the 'time' attribute energy. After charging, new functions will be unlocked."

Ron muttered to himself, his fingers stroking the black gemstone on his pocket watch.

He first tried the most intuitive method - sprinkling the sands of time directly on the surface of the pocket watch, but there was no reaction.

Then he tried putting sand into the internal mechanism of the pocket watch, but it also didn't work.

"Perhaps some medium is needed?"

Ron thought, his eyes falling on his fingertips.

The last time the pocket watch activated was when his blood dripped onto the gem.

Deciding to give it a try, he gently cut his fingertip with a knife, letting a drop of blood fall onto the sand of time that he had prepared in advance.

The moment the blood touched the sand, the golden particles suddenly became active and sparkled like miniature stars.

"Sure enough, there's a reaction!" Ron was cheered up, and immediately poured the blood-stained Sand of Time carefully onto the black gem of the pocket watch.

The surface of the gem instantly lit up with a strange red light, as if a hungry beast finally smelled the scent of blood.

The pocket watch began to emit a slight humming sound, and the speed of the internal mechanical gears increased significantly.

Ron felt a palpitation, as if countless tiny needles were piercing his heart at the same time.

The feeling wasn't painful, but rather strangely intimate, as if the watch were establishing a deeper connection with him.

[Sands of Time Detected.]

【Energy Absorbing】

[Current Energy Amount: 15/15]

"It works!" Ron looked at the panel prompt in surprise, and hurriedly took out more Sand of Time and repeated the previous steps.

With each addition, the hum of the pocket watch grew louder and the glow of the black gemstone grew more intense.

【Energy Absorbing】

[Current Energy Amount: 20/20]

【Energy Absorbing】

……

[Current Energy Amount: 30/30]

[Sufficient energy to unlock new functions: Time stagnation]

As the last of the Sands of Time were absorbed, the appearance of the pocket watch subtly changed.

More delicate and complex patterns appear on the originally monotonous dial, and a circle of tiny star marks surrounds the black gemstone, like a miniature constellation map.

"Time stagnation." Ron whispered the name of this new function, and a surge of excitement surged in his heart.

This sounds like an extremely powerful ability, far beyond the simple status reset before.

[Time Stagnation: Can cause the designated target to fall into a special solidified state, completely blocking its movement and making its defense vulnerable.

Consumes 10 energy points per second

Function activation phrase: "Bite the hour hand!"

Range of effect: Great Wizard and below]

"This..." Ron took a deep breath, unable to hide the shock in his heart.

Any existence below the level of Grand Wizard can be blocked, which means that even when facing a terrifying existence like the Dark Sun-level wizard who can move mountains and fill the sea with a wave of his hand, he still has a chance of survival.

But this power needs to be tested in practice.

Ron took down a transparent glass cage from the experimental rack, which contained several white mice used for experiments.

He carefully took one out and placed it on the lab bench, while holding the pocket watch tightly and resonating with it with his mental power.

"Hold the clock!"

As the activation words were silently recited, the black gem in the center of the pocket watch suddenly burst out with a sharp black light, shooting straight towards the white rat that was sniffing around.

In an instant, all the movements of the white mouse froze, as if sealed in transparent amber.

Its posture is lifelike, with its tail slightly raised and its front paws raised, but it is motionless and even its breathing seems to have stopped.

[Time stagnation has been activated, energy is being consumed]

Ron watched breathlessly, gently touching the white rat with a thin stick.

To his surprise, although the white mouse could not move, it still responded to external stimuli and made slight squeaking sounds.

"I see. This ability can only block movement and attack capabilities, not complete time freeze."

Ron thought for a moment, then released his ability.

[Time stagnation has been lifted, energy consumption this time: 10]

The white rat immediately resumed its activities, but seemed to be frightened, running around in panic, and was finally carefully put back into the cage by Ron.

"It consumes 10 energy points per second. The current limit is 30, which can only last for 3 seconds at most." Ron calculated:

"But even just three seconds can be enough to turn the tide of battle or escape danger at a critical moment."

He gently stroked the surface of the pocket watch, feeling the mysterious power contained within.

The Time Keeper's pocket watch is growing more powerful, and this may just be the tip of the iceberg of its full potential.

Thinking of this, Ron couldn't help but start to think about future plans.

He opened a new bookshelf in the library of thought in his mind and began to record the next arrangements in detail:
"First, we will go to the Slave Merchants' Association next week to purchase various alien embryos and begin practical research on bloodline modulation. This is crucial for perfecting the Chimera bloodline and Ailan's evolution."

He pondered for a moment and continued to record:

"Secondly, accelerate the research progress of spells and alchemy, especially the improvement of the 'Ring of Radiance' and the application research of soul steel. Improve your reputation within the school and strive to rise in the ranking of candidate wizards to lay the foundation for obtaining a place at the Bloodline Altar."

"After six months, I must find a way to be promoted to a senior apprentice. This is crucial for obtaining more resources and authority."

Ron opened his eyes and took a deep breath.

Time was short, but he already had a better start and resources than most apprentices.

The advantages of unlimited career slots are becoming increasingly apparent, and the linkage effect between various professions allows him to make amazing progress in many fields.

In addition to these two powerful and rare relics, the Time Guardian Pocket Watch and the Shapeshifter's Skin, and the upcoming research on blood modulation...
"The road has been paved, and all we need to do now is to move forward steadily..."

(End of this chapter)