Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 153 Hereditary Grand Duke
As the sun set, Ron stared intently at the distillation apparatus in front of him in the laboratory on the second floor of the workshop.

As the last drop of clear amber liquid fell into the crystal bottle, he breathed a sigh of relief and carefully sealed the bottle.

“Finally finished,” Ron said softly, holding the bottle up to the light to check: “Lava Drops, perfectly replicated formula.”

The liquid in the bottle exhibits a peculiar fluidity under light, as if tiny flames are leaping within it, which is precisely a manifestation of its activity.

Lilia stood to the side, her face beaming with joy and a sense of accomplishment: "Teacher, we did it!"

“Yes, thanks to your help.” Ron smiled, his eyes gleaming with appreciation.

Lilia's progress in potion-making over this period of time has exceeded all expectations.

Her talent for "diligence can make up for lack of talent" has shown amazing potential through continuous efforts, especially her intuitive judgment of potion recipes, which can help Ron a lot.

It was she who proposed a special stabilizer that solved the problem of excess impurities in lava drippings.

"Reverse engineering this formula is much more difficult than I imagined."

Ron looked at the thick stack of experimental records on the table: "The samples that Andrei brought from the royal family have aged, and most of the active ingredients have degraded."

He opened his notebook and pointed to a page with a complex molecular structure diagram:
"The biggest problem is that the proportion of the core active ingredients is completely unbalanced, which caused unstable reactions in our first three attempts."

Lilia nodded. She clearly remembered that during the second experiment, the entire laboratory was almost engulfed by a sudden burst of flames. If Ron hadn't used magic to control it in time, it could have had serious consequences.

"However, now we have not only restored the formula, but also optimized it to a certain extent."

Ron said with satisfaction, "Theoretically, this version of Lava Drops should be about 20% more effective than the original, and also more stable."

He gently shook the bottle, and the light spots in the liquid moved with it, forming a peculiar vortex.

“Next, we need to conduct tests.” Ron turned his gaze to Lilia:
"Go and tell Ailan to help prepare the backyard. I'm going to conduct my first experiment tonight."

Lilia bowed and left, her face beaming with excitement.

This was her first real involvement in her teacher's important research, and the results were remarkable.

The sense of accomplishment far exceeded any praise she had ever received for her appearance.

Ron checked every detail of the recipe record again.

As a key drug in the third stage of the "Corona Respiration Method," the complexity of the formula for Lava Drops far exceeded his expectations.

The biggest challenges in the restoration process come from three aspects:

First, the samples brought by Andrei had been stored for too long, and their activity had decreased significantly.

He had to go through multiple extraction and concentration processes to barely separate enough active ingredients for analysis.

Secondly, the core ingredient of Lava Drops—Sun Essence—is an extremely rare material derived from the heart crystals of special fire-attribute creatures.

Ron had to use his own cloned Crimson Dragon bloodline to extract essence blood as a substitute, a process that was both energy-consuming and time-consuming.

Finally, the stability of the solution has always been a challenge.

The original formula clearly took into account the special nature of the royal bloodline, but for others, this ratio could cause severe internal organ burns.

Thanks to Lilia's inspiration, they added a neutralizer from ice elemental creatures to the recipe, which perfectly solved the problem.

"In theory, this improved version of Lava Drops should be able to increase the efficiency of bloodline activation by about 30%."

Ron muttered to himself as he made final adjustments to his notes.

As night fell, the training ground in the backyard was surrounded by a special protective magic array.

Ron sat cross-legged in the center of the arena, with the bottle of shimmering lava drops placed on his chest.

He took a deep breath, removed the cork, and carefully took a sip.

The moment the medicine entered my throat, an astonishing surge of heat, like magma, coursed through my entire body.

Every blood vessel seemed to be burning, and every muscle was trembling.

Ron gritted his teeth and began to adjust his breathing rhythm according to the requirements of the third stage of the "Corona Breathing Technique".

"Inhale, nine counts; hold your breath, five counts; exhale, seven counts."

As breathing deepens, the body's heat flow gradually changes from chaotic to orderly.

He could clearly feel the energy of his blood flowing through his body in rhythm with his breathing.

Each time a vital acupoint is reached, a trace of warmth is left behind.

This is the essence of the third stage of the "Corona Breathing Technique"—"Bloodline Refinement".

Through specific breathing rhythms, the activated blood energy is guided to circulate within the body, gradually transforming and strengthening the physical body.

Compared to the second stage, the third stage focuses more on internal qualitative change rather than external manifestation.

If the second stage is about awakening the bloodline, then the third stage is about mastering the bloodline, making it completely integrated into oneself and becoming a part of the body.

Ron sensed that the dragon head core within the Chimera bloodline had become exceptionally active under this training.

The crimson energy surged within his body like a living thing, each surge providing a slight but definite boost to his physical attributes.

"Lava drippings are indeed effective."

Ron confirmed this in his mind while carefully sensing the changes in his body.

Compared to ordinary cultivation, the auxiliary effects of lava drippings are very obvious.

The flow of blood energy is smoother, and the energy conversion rate is greatly improved.

Most importantly, it greatly reduces the discomfort during bloodline activation, allowing him to maintain a high-intensity cultivation state for a longer period of time.

After two full hours of cultivation, Ron finally opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air.

The breath turned into a wisp of red mist in the air and drifted away.

[Bloodline Stimulation Experience + 1]

[Current Progress: Bloodline Stimulation (Entry 45/100)]

"Progress is going very well, faster than I expected."

Ron was quite satisfied with the results of this training: "At this rate, I should be able to reach the proficiency level in about two months."

He could vaguely feel the surge of his own blood energy. When his bloodline was activated to a proficient level, he might gain a characteristic related to the "life burst" of bloodline knights.

Ron stretched his body, feeling the residual heat in his muscles.

Lava Drops is indeed a rare and valuable auxiliary medicine. It can not only accelerate bloodline fusion, but also reduce physical discomfort after bloodline activation.

"I should inform Andrei; he seems to be experiencing a bottleneck in his bloodline fusion recently," Ron thought.

The next day, when Andrei pushed open the door to the workshop, Ron was instructing Lilia on how to concoct an improved energizing potion.

"Looks like I've arrived at the wrong time?"

Andrei wore his signature elegant smile, forcing himself to keep his gaze from lingering on Lilia.

Ron looked up at the visitor and gestured for Lilia to put down the silver spoon in her hand:

"It's finished just in time, you've come at the perfect moment."

Upon seeing the visitor, Lilia immediately bowed and greeted him: "Your Highness Andrei."

Andrei waved his hand: "There are no princes here, just call me Andrei."

He turned to Ron, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes:
“I’m telling you, you’re living a really good life. Even the most beautiful flower in this batch of trainee apprentices has become your ‘personal assistant’.”

Ron chuckled lightly upon hearing this, without responding: "Lilia, please prepare some tea and refreshments for us."

"Yes, teacher." Lilia responded and stepped back, but her face was already flushed, clearly indicating that she had understood Andrei's hint.

On her way to the tea room, she couldn't help but steal glances back at her teacher's reaction.

However, they found that the other person's expression was normal, and they were discussing something with their friends, clearly not taking the joke to heart.

A sense of loss welled up in her heart, and she felt ashamed of her own mindset.

"What am I thinking about?" Lilia gently patted her burning cheeks.

“The teacher is so kind to everyone in the workshop, I shouldn’t have such unrealistic thoughts.”

But as she brewed the fragrant black tea, the image of Ron earnestly instructing her involuntarily came to mind.

That focused gaze, the patient explanations, and the occasional glimpses of appreciation for her progress.
These details, like warm sunshine, quietly melted the ice that had been built up in her heart over the years, making her yearn for more recognition and attention.

What's wrong with me?

Lilia sighed softly, placed the prepared refreshments on an elegant tray, tried to calm her racing heart, and walked back to the reception room.

"How's things going within the school lately?" Ron asked, looking at Andrei's tired expression.

"It's a complete mess." Andrei shook his head.

"After Oliver's defection, the law enforcement team searched the Edge Forest almost every day, but so far there has been no clear lead."

"Where are the pursuers?"

Andrei's expression turned grave: "They've all disappeared, presumably murdered. Their last report mentioned that Oliver had 'partially awakened,' displaying some terrifying abilities."

The aroma of tea filled the air. Lilia quietly entered, placed the tea and snacks in front of the two of them, and then quietly retreated to the side.

Andrei thanked him politely and took a sip of tea.

"This tea is excellent, with a unique aroma," he exclaimed, looking at Lilia. "You must have practiced tea-brewing techniques before."

Lilia bowed her head in thanks: "Thank you. This is my improved recipe, with the addition of some special herbs."

Andrei smiled and nodded, then looked at Ron:
"You really know how to enjoy life. Your workshop is so well-organized, your tea and snacks are exquisite and delicious, and you have such a thoughtful and beautiful assistant."

Ron shook his head slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and changed the subject back to the main topic:
"What impact did Oliver's defection have on the school of thought?"

Andrei's expression immediately turned serious:

“It’s quite significant. The most direct impact is the upgraded security measures, with all apprentices’ movements strictly restricted. Secondly, a full-scale investigation into the ‘Eye of the Abyss’ organization has been launched, and several suspected contacts have been arrested.”

He paused, his voice lowered:
“The saddest thing is the loss of personnel. Norris, one of the members of that pursuit team, you should know him too…”

Ron's eyes narrowed: "Norris? That's the mid-level apprentice on duty with the enforcement team, one of Holt's subordinates?"

“Yes, it’s him.” Andrei nodded, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes.
"Although he appears cold and stern, he is actually very caring towards newcomers. When I first joined the enforcement team as an outside member, he secretly taught me all sorts of rules and details."

Ron felt a slight pang of regret as he recalled the law enforcement officer who had helped him several times when he was still living in the reserve dormitory area.

The cruelty of the extraordinary world seems especially real at this moment.

“Everyone has their own fate,” he could only say in a low voice, then noticed the bandage on Andrei’s arm: “What happened to your arm?”

Andrei touched the bandage somewhat awkwardly:
"That's actually why I came to find you; I was bitten by Marcus after his complete mutation."

"Quickly remove the bandage so I can see!"

Ron's tone suddenly became somewhat anxious.

Andrei hesitated for a moment, sighed softly, and slowly unwrapped the bandage.

Ron's pupils contracted sharply as the last layer of fabric was lifted.

The wound had begun to rot, and the surrounding skin had turned an unnatural dark purple, like ink seeping into paper.

Most worryingly, those black lines are slowly but clearly spreading upwards, already approaching the shoulders.

"Damn it!" Ron jumped to his feet. "How could you take this long? This is clearly a physical manifestation of mental pollution!"

Andrei stared at his wound in shock: "I thought it was just a normal wound, and that my bloodline power would heal it quickly."

"Would a normal wound turn this black?"

Ron cursed under his breath, then turned to Lilia: "Prepare the lab; we need to perform a minor surgery."

Lilia immediately sprang into action, her expression professional and calm: "What equipment and medicines do we need?"

"A complete set of surgical scalpels, bone-corroding agents numbered three to seven, repair and activating agents, and..."

Ron quickly listed a long list of items, which Lilia memorized, and then hurried off to prepare.

"How serious is this?" Andrei's face had turned pale.

“It’s quite serious,” Ron said bluntly.

“Marcus was clearly in a state of severe contamination; his saliva and blood contained highly polluting substances. You only received basic treatment after being bitten, and the contamination has already seeped into your bloodstream.”

He gestured for Andrei to follow:

"What needs to be done now is to remove the deeply infected tissue and then clean the wound with a special medicine. The surgery will be a bit painful, but it will only get worse if we delay."

The laboratory was quickly ready.

Ailan joined in; her vines were perfect for delicate handling and she was Ron's right-hand woman.

Andrei lay on a specially made experimental table, Ron had already changed into white sterile gloves, and Lilia was responsible for handing over the equipment.

"This will hurt a lot."

Ron warned, while simultaneously injecting a paralyzing agent into Andrei's arm:
"But I must ensure you remain conscious in order to observe the real-time response to the contamination."

Andrei gritted his teeth and nodded: "Bring it on, I can handle it."

The surgery began. Ron first used the special techniques he had mastered after advancing his elemental perception to cut open the skin with a beam scalpel, revealing the discolored muscle tissue underneath.

The pollution was more severe than he had imagined; the black liquid had seeped deep, almost reaching his bones.

"Begin the excision."

Ron gestured for Ailan to secure the wound, then picked up a special scalpel that emitted a purifying light and began to remove the contaminated tissue.

Every incision is precise, removing all contaminated parts without damaging healthy tissue.

This was a task that required extremely high levels of mental control and anatomical knowledge, and fortunately Ron was well-prepared in both areas.

Despite the pain relief, Andrei still couldn't help but let out a low cry of pain.

The constitution granted by the dragon's blood allowed him to endure more pain than ordinary people, but this kind of direct removal of contamination from the deepest part of the body was still an unimaginable torment.

"Just a little longer." Ron focused on his work, his knife moving without the slightest hesitation.

"The worst is over."

With the removal of the last piece of contaminated tissue, the wound looked horribly large.

It was almost twice its original size, revealing bright red muscle and stark white bones.

“Now is the crucial moment.” Ron picked up a bottle of golden potion, his specially concocted compound purification potion:
"This will eliminate residual pollution and promote the regeneration of healthy tissue."

He poured the medicine into the wound, and the golden liquid immediately reacted violently with the remaining black substance, producing white smoke.

Andrei groaned in pain, but quickly gritted his teeth and persevered.

The entire process lasted nearly an hour, and the wound was eventually completely cleaned and a special regeneration ointment was applied.

"All done." Ron breathed a sigh of relief and finished bandaging Andrei's wound.
"The pollution has been cleaned up, but because it has been delayed for too long, it will leave permanent scars."

Andrei smiled weakly: "What are scars compared to death or mutation? Thank you, Ron, you saved my life once again."

Ron shook his head: "You were too careless. If this injury had been left untreated for a few more weeks, the contamination would have seeped into your core bloodline, and even a formal wizard wouldn't have been able to save you then. Luckily, you're not completely stupid enough to have come to me..."

He walked to the cabinet next to him and took out three bottles of lava drip:

"This is an improved version of Lava Drops that I just developed. It's even more effective than the original. Take these with you and take them as directed. It will accelerate your bloodline growth."

Andrei stared in shock at the bottles of liquid shimmering with a golden-red light: "This...this is too valuable!"

"Once the bloodline stimulation reaches a certain level, it should be able to repair those permanent damages."

Ron said calmly, "Besides, I'm just replicating the recipe, so the cost isn't too high."

He knew that Andrei was currently struggling financially due to his enormous appetite after his bloodline awakened, and he didn't want to add to his burden.

"I...I don't know how to thank you." Andrei's voice choked with emotion.

"Not only did it save my life once again, but it also gave me such a precious medicine."

Ron smiled and suddenly cracked a joke:

"When you become king, remember to bestow upon me a marquisate or something; that would be a great honor for the Ralph family ancestors."

Andrei paused for a moment, then said seriously:

“Not just a marquisate, but if I ever have the chance to sit in that position, I assure you, the Ralph family will become the hereditary Grand Dukes of the kingdom, second only to the royal family.”

Looking at the determination in his friend's eyes, Ron couldn't help but chuckle.

"Being too wealthy can make family members arrogant. I just hope that the Ralph family has a protective umbrella so that they can live a more stable life."

He paused, then added, half-jokingly:

"Perhaps we can arrange for my elder brother's descendants to marry into your branch of the family; that would be a more secure arrangement."

Andrei smiled and shook his head: "You always manage to talk about the biggest things so easily."

He looked out the window at the setting sun, his eyes revealing an unprecedented determination:
“But I’m serious, Ron. I used to think the throne was too far away from me, but now…”

The blond boy clenched his fist:

"With a genius like you helping me all this time, I've started to believe that it might not just be a distant dream."

Ron didn't answer, but quietly picked up the already cold tea and took a sip to moisten his throat.

Everything he's doing to Andrei now is done conveniently without affecting himself.

No one can predict what the future holds.

But one thing is certain: he believes he can make it to the end, even if it takes a long time...

(End of this chapter)