Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 185 "Lion Scorpion Transformation"

In the darkness, in the workshop's most secluded meditation room, Ron sat cross-legged in a magic circle, surrounded by a ring of extinguished magic crystal lamps.

Only two blue candles burned in front of him, their flames remaining motionless in the windless environment.

This is a meditation environment he designed specifically for the second phase of "The Star Eater's Ramblings," designed to maximize the isolation from external interference and enhance spiritual resonance with the "starry sky."

Taking a deep breath and clearing his mind, Ron slowly closed his eyes and began his meditation practice for the evening.

The familiar murmurs soon echoed in his mind, but unlike the fear and resistance he felt when he first encountered them, he had now learned how to coexist with them.

As his meditation deepened, Ron felt as if his consciousness had left his body and was floating in the boundless starry sky.

He was surrounded by countless twinkling stars, and in the distant darkness, some vast and ancient being seemed to be gazing at him.

The feeling was both terrifying and strange, chilling yet irresistible.

Those murmurs echoed in his sea of ​​consciousness, while Ron used the mental barrier formed by the "Erosion Symphony" to fight against them, guiding the flow and accumulation of mental energy in the process.

【Erosion Symphony (Beginner) Experience Points +1】

Time becomes ambiguous in this state; it could be an hour or three hours.

When Ron finally awoke from his meditation, he found that it was already getting light, and the first rays of dawn were quietly streaming in through the cracks in the window.

But what shocked him even more was the change in his mental strength—in just about two months after breaking through to the advanced apprentice level, his mental strength had already reached an astonishing 4.4 points!
“This growth rate…” Ron looked at his attribute panel in disbelief: “It’s at least several times faster than the first stage.”

This is indeed not an ordinary meditation method, but a shortcut that can greatly accelerate the growth of mental power and lead to a higher realm.

"An introductory method to the Crown Meditation Method..."

Ron gently sensed the abundant spiritual energy within his body: "Then how amazing must the Crown Meditation Technique itself be?"

He could understand why this method of meditation was strictly restricted from being disseminated.

Such rapid growth of mental power, without corresponding protective measures, will soon spiral out of control due to mental pollution.

Ron took out the Time Guardian pocket watch, gently stroking the pattern on its surface, his heart filled with gratitude.

It was this rare and precious artifact that enabled him to walk safely on this dangerous road.

But when he started the purification process, he found that it required more energy than ever before.

[Successfully reset negative status: Mental pollution, Energy -10]

"The consumption is increasing with each transaction..."

Ron frowned.

This means that as mental strength further increases, the complexity and intensity of pollution also increase simultaneously, and may even soon exceed the pocket watch's ability to clear it in one go.

"We must accelerate the implementation of the 'furnace concept'."

Ron decided that he had to find a more fundamental solution to the pollution problem before his mental strength reached a critical point.

However, this problem can still be controlled for the time being. The most urgent task is to use this time to raise mental strength to the highest possible level in preparation for the bloodline altar trial.

Ron left the meditation room and went to the workshop's main hall.

Lilia was already up and preparing breakfast.

Seeing Ron, the girl smiled and greeted him, "Good morning, teacher. How did your meditation go last night?"

“Beyond expectations,” Ron replied briefly, taking the hot tea Lilia offered. “Where are Dale and Alan?”

"Sister Ailan went to the back mountain to collect medicinal herbs. She said that there are several kinds of plants that bloom at night and need to be harvested before sunrise."

While busy, Lilia replied, "Dale is still sleeping; she's exhausted from yesterday's training."

Ron nodded. Although the little siren's growth was amazing, its physical and mental recovery speed was still not as fast as that of an adult siren.

Adequate rest is essential for her.

"I've prepared your favorite breakfast." Lilia placed a plate of delicious-looking food on the table:
"Any special plans for today, teacher?"

"Same as always, stay in the lab, and you can keep my lunch warm."

While having breakfast, Ron replied, "Some of the findings over the past few days have been very interesting, and I'd like to do further research."

He turned to look at the girl again: "And you? What are your plans for today?"

"I plan to organize the herb storeroom and then continue practicing the basic potion-making you taught me."

Lilia answered seriously:
"Sister Ailan said she would bring back some fresh Biyu grass, which is a key ingredient for making enhancement potions."

Ron nodded in satisfaction.

She has always had a positive attitude towards learning and has made rapid progress.

"Great, feel free to come to me anytime if you have any questions."

Ron finished the last sip of tea and got up to head to the laboratory.

Inside the laboratory, an ordinary-looking wooden puppet lies quietly in a specially designed energy isolation box.

Ron carefully took it out and placed it on the central experimental table, feeling the strange energy fluctuations emanating from the puppet.

His research over the past few weeks has given him a deeper understanding of this abyssal treasure.

The substitute puppet can not only replicate the user's appearance and basic abilities, but also gain additional traits and powers by absorbing the tissues of abyssal creatures.

The initial discovery was purely accidental.

During a routine energy test, the substitute puppet was placed next to a sample of lion scorpion tissue.

Ron was surprised to find that the puppet began to exhibit an unusually active state, seemingly drawn to the organization.

After conducting a detailed energy scan using "supernatural identification," Ron discovered that the stand-in puppet had an almost "desire" for the Lion Scorpion organization, as if it recognized some kind of energy fluctuation from the same source.

"The substitute puppet comes from the fourth layer of the abyss, while the Lion Scorpion comes from the third layer..."

Ron recalled the descriptions in the "Abyssal Creatures Compendium" and a bold guess formed in his mind:

There may be some degree of mutual affinity between objects and creatures in the abyss, allowing them to resonate or merge under certain conditions.

With this hypothesis in mind, Ron began a series of strictly controlled experiments.

He first had the stand-in puppet come into contact with a very small amount of lion scorpion tissue and observed the reaction;

Then gradually increase the amount of contact, while closely monitoring the puppet's energy fluctuations and morphological changes.

Today, he plans to conduct an even bolder experiment—to have the substitute puppet absorb some of the main tissues of the lion scorpion.

Ron took two preservation boxes from the refrigerator. When he opened them, he could see dark green tissue and a huge heart that was still radiating amazing vitality.

Those are the venom glands and second heart of the lion scorpion's tail, which have been specially treated to maintain their activity.

"If the experiment is successful, the substitute puppet should be able to acquire some of the Lion Scorpion's abilities."

Ron activated the protective array around him to ensure that even if the experiment went wrong, no danger would leak out.

Once everything was ready, he took a deep breath and gently placed the poison gland tissue and heart on the puppet's chest.

In just a few seconds, a strange change occurred—the tissue began to melt, turning into a dark red liquid that quickly seeped into the puppet's body.

At the same time, the patterns on the puppet's surface began to change subtly, with some lines becoming sharper and more twisted, emitting a faint purple light.

"The reaction was stronger than expected..."

Ron closely observed the process, recording every detail.

After absorption, the puppet's surface returned to calm, but its overall aura had noticeably changed:
A dangerous and aggressive energy surged within it, like a lurking beast.

[Automatically absorbed active abyssal substances, charging progress +1%]

Current Energy: 1%/100%

"This... it turns out that the puppet can actually recharge after absorbing active abyssal substances. This is quite an unexpected success."

He felt a slight sense of surprise. If he relied solely on kryptonite to charge his energy, his current small savings wouldn't be enough, since one kryptonite only accounts for 1% of the charging progress.

However, for now, let's try out the enhancement effect produced by the puppet absorbing the abyssal matter.

Ron channeled a small portion of his consciousness into the puppet, attempting to activate it.

The puppet reacted immediately, slowly standing up, its movements more fluid and natural than before.

But the real surprise was yet to come—when Ron tried to activate the energy from the poison glands he had just absorbed…

The puppet suddenly underwent a strange change, with a sharp tail thorn growing from its back, the tip of which glowed with a poisonous purple light.

“That’s amazing…” Ron murmured in admiration, manipulating the puppet to swing the poisonous thorn, drawing a purple trail in the air.

He then attempted further deformation control and was surprised to find that the entire structure of the puppet had become exceptionally malleable.

Not only the tail spikes, but the limbs can become stronger and more powerful, and even the face can be partially mutated, showing animalistic characteristics.

“It’s just like…” Ron’s eyes lit up: “a kind of biological fusion!”

He suddenly recalled the description of "deformable resin" in the "Illustrated Compendium of Abyssal Creatures".

This special substance from the fourth layer of the abyss can blur the boundaries of life forms, allowing objects to acquire the characteristics or abilities of other organisms.

The substitute puppet clearly contains this substance or similar ingredients.

When Ron reduced his conscious input and only left basic control, the puppet surprisingly displayed an almost instinctive fighting instinct.

It autonomously adjusts its posture and makes a series of defensive and offensive movements, as if it has inherited some of the instincts of the lion scorpion.

"It's like gaining a semi-autonomous combat partner."

Ron was overjoyed, watching the puppet move nimbly under his minimal control.

These discoveries immediately led him to consider more possibilities: if the substitute puppet could assimilate the lion scorpion's tissue, then theoretically, it might also be able to assimilate the tissues of other abyssal creatures.
What kind of changes in abilities do different types of abyssal organisms bring about?
What effects will occur when multiple organizations merge simultaneously?
Ron's "vision" ability was at full power at this moment, and a grand blueprint was gradually taking shape in his mind:

A super Stand that combines the characteristics of various abyssal creatures, possessing diverse environmental adaptability, multiple attack methods, and possibly even a certain degree of self-awareness and judgment...

When the substitute puppet reaches 50% charge and unlocks the dual communication function, and then advances to become a [Witcher], these abilities will be further enhanced!
All of these abilities can be fed back to the main body simultaneously, allowing him to reap all the benefits without incurring any risks.

Deep within the earth's veins, a honeycomb-like cave is surrounded by thick black mist.

The cave walls were covered with a layer of constantly writhing, mutated tissue, with dark purple liquid flowing on its surface, emitting a suffocating, fishy stench.

Deep inside the cave, a disgusting, semi-solid, semi-liquid substance was slowly wriggling.

At first glance, it looked like some kind of giant rotting mushroom.

But upon closer inspection, one can see that the surface is covered with countless tiny tentacles and bumps, opening and closing in a certain rhythm, as if it were breathing.

At the core of this strange object, two human figures could be vaguely seen intertwined, as if they were in some kind of twisted embrace.

"We...survived."

A voice came from this disgusting mass of flesh.

The voice was muffled, but it was still vaguely recognizable as Oliver's voice, though it had a strange, foreign quality to it.

"certainly."

Another sound arose, moist and viscous, like liquid flowing through a narrow crevice:

"Though Hayek's attack was terrifying, thankfully Mr. Holy Disc gave me something good."

Cynthia's voice sounded even less human than before, and her tone carried a strange sense of euphoria.

The writhing mass of flesh gradually stretched and deformed, slowly revealing a more concrete form:
The two bodies were connected by some kind of purplish-black tissue, sharing some organs like conjoined twins.

Oliver's upper body barely retained a human shape, but his skin appeared an unnatural grayish-white.

The right side of his face was completely deformed, with a huge tentacle-like eyeball growing from it, which contracted and expanded with his emotions.

His left arm had completely disappeared, replaced by a thick tentacle covered with sucker-like organs.

Cynthia's transformation was even more radical; her hair turned into a cluster of blue-purple tentacles that floated in the air like jellyfish tentacles.

The most bizarre thing was her abdomen, where a huge vertical slit stretched from her chest to her lower abdomen, like a giant mouth full of sharp teeth, opening and closing intermittently.

Oliver, trembling, reached out his only remaining right hand and touched his contorted face:
"I remember we were broken into pieces by an energy shock. Then your tentacles enveloped me, and my subsequent memories became blurry."

"I protected your core consciousness with my own body, and then I used an abyssal substance."

Cynthia let out a wet, eerie laugh, her voice sounding as if it came from underwater:
"Unexpectedly, in this life-or-death situation, that abyssal substance actually merged with us, triggering an emergency survival instinct-driven stress response. It's truly a wonderful adaptation."

Oliver remained silent for a moment, observing his intertwined bodies with Cynthia's through his tentacle-like eyes.

He could feel an unprecedented pleasure flowing through their shared organization, as if they were enjoying pleasure together all the time.

"Abyssal matter? We've merged?" His voice carried a hint of shock and confusion.

Not entirely.

Cynthia's tentacle hairband brushed against Oliver's cheek, feeling sticky and soft:
"It's more like a symbiotic relationship. Our flesh and consciousness are intertwined, sharing energy and perception."

Her voice became deeper and more seductive:
"How does it feel? Isn't this symbiotic relationship wonderful?"

Oliver closed his only remaining human eye, immersing himself in this new sensation.

Indeed, he could feel an unprecedented power and clarity.

The frantic thoughts and impulses that had once plagued him seemed to have been calmed down by a more composed consciousness after the continuous pleasure.

"My mental state is more stable now."

He was surprised to find that "those crazy impulses and hallucinations were no longer so intense."

"This is the benefit of a higher level of awakening."

Cynthia said with satisfaction, her ripped abdomen slightly opening to reveal the writhing dark red tissue inside:
"When your awakening reaches a certain level, you will no longer be passively affected by pollution, but will actively coexist with it."

He tried to move their deformed symbiote, feeling the new power within them.

Her movement was clumsy and bizarre; Cynthia’s countless tentacles wriggled on the ground, propelling her entire body forward with a wet, rubbing sound.

Oliver asked, his tentacle-like eyes turning to Cynthia, "What should we do next?"

“Of course, we’ll go to the Bloodline Altar,” Cynthia said with a chuckle.
"That's right. It's the place you've always dreamed of."

Her gaping abdomen opened even wider, revealing layers of accordion-like muscle tissue inside:
"There, we can complete a true awakening transformation, raising our awakening level to a level comparable to that of a formal wizard."

Oliver fell into deep thought.

The Bloodline Altar. That opportunity he had dreamed of during his apprenticeship.

For countless days and nights, he dreamed of gaining the qualification to enter and using the power of the altar to complete a qualitative change.

However, now they are going there in this distorted manner, and their purpose has completely changed.

It's no longer about improving oneself further, but about using the energy of the altar to complete the Abyss Awakening.

"The school will closely monitor the opening of the bloodline altar," Oliver said worriedly.

"The vice dean, the other mentors, and that terrifying guardian of the crystal spire will all be there. In our current state, we would be eliminated if we were exposed."

"We don't need a direct confrontation."

Cynthia's voice grew even colder:

"The Bloodline Altar is a demiplane with countless hidden entrances. Moreover, once the altar is activated, the energy fluctuations will cause a great deal of interference, enough to cover our actions."

Oliver could feel Cynthia's excitement; their intertwined bodies were constantly transmitting her sensations to him.

He couldn't help but exhale, and then performed the test again, his eyes already rolling back.

"And even more importantly..."

Cynthia was used to this, and simply stroked Oliver's face gently with her tentacles: "We'll have help."

"Help?" Oliver suddenly awoke, his tentacled eyes contracting sharply. "Who will help us?"

"The 'Eye of the Abyss' was not completely wiped out. Mr. Shengpan had already anticipated that the school would take action, which is why he left in advance."

Cynthia let out a moist laugh:

"He will help us in critical moments, and we were able to survive this time thanks to the abyssal material he provided."

Oliver fell silent.

Mr. Saint Disc, the mysterious "Eye of the Abyss," never truly understood that person's background and purpose.

But one thing is certain—that man is definitely not someone you can trust.

"Are you sure he's helping us, and not using us?"

"Utilize? Help? These concepts are meaningless in the face of a higher level of existence."

Cynthia's voice became ethereal and dreamlike:
"We are all part of the 'Paradise Project.' As long as we can complete the transformation and reach a higher level of awakening, nothing else matters."

Oliver wanted to argue, but found himself being assimilated by Cynthia's views.

This assimilation is not forced, but rather a subtle permeation, like two cups of different colored liquids slowly mixing.

Their consciousness is gradually merging, and the boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred.

"How much longer?" he asked in a low voice. "When will the Bloodline Altar open?"

"It will be soon," Cynthia's voice became faint and distant:
"I can feel the frequency of the energy fluctuations increasing. The altar will open in about two weeks."

She suddenly looked up, as if listening to some distant sound:

"Moreover, I know who will enter the altar."

"Who?"

“Ron Ralph,” Cynthia uttered the name, her voice filled with a morbid excitement.

"That unpredictable fellow... he's finally stepping into our hunting grounds."

Oliver's emotions suddenly surged; his tentacle eyeballs contracted violently, releasing a black, sticky fluid.

"Ralph?! That damn guy!"

Dramatic changes began to appear on the shared body surfaces of the individuals they shared.

Black spikes bulged from under the skin, and muscles and tissues began to swell and twist uncontrollably under the stimulation of anger.

“Calm down.” Cynthia’s voice pierced through Oliver’s anger:
"Your emotions will interfere with our integration process. We are not stable enough right now."

Her tentacles caressed Oliver's face, soothing his emotions:

“Ron Ralph. Yes, he's a threat, but also an opportunity.”

“An opportunity?” Oliver’s voice was full of doubt.

“He has a certain special aura about him,” Cynthia said thoughtfully.
"I've never been able to determine what it is, but Mr. 'Sacred Disc' seems to have a particular interest in it."

"We need more energy."

Cynthia interrupted Oliver's thoughts:

"Before the Bloodline Altar opens, we must accumulate as much power as possible and stabilize our symbiotic relationship."

"What's your plan?"

Cynthia's gaping abdomen opened, emitting a burst of laughter:
"This area has many abandoned mines that are often frequented by explorers and treasure hunters."

Oliver understood her meaning, his tentacled eyes gleaming with excitement: "Fresh prey."

“Yes.” Cynthia’s voice became lower and more thirsty:
"Their lives, their pain, and their fear will become nourishment for us."

The two bodies began to wriggle towards the cave exit, leaving a trail of wet, slimy fluid.

As they writhed, the mutated tissue on the cave wall seemed to sense something and stopped twitching.

(End of this chapter)