Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 192 Demonic Suppression!

The sky above the Black Mist Forest was unusually clear, the usual light mist completely gone.

Even the black mist that had perpetually shrouded the treetops had vanished, as if welcoming something important.

In the central square of the school, dozens of apprentices were methodically arranging the various preparations for the welcoming ceremony.

The advanced apprentices, dressed in matching purple-trimmed robes, stood solemnly on either side of the square.

Everyone was trying their best to control their breathing and posture, fearing that any slight disrespectful behavior would invite punishment from their superiors.

Some novice apprentices were busy cleaning the ground, even using fine brushes and special solutions to wipe each stone slab to ensure it was as clean as new;
The law enforcement team members appeared in every corner fully armed, their eyes alert and tense, their hands always in a posture ready to cast spells immediately.

Ron stood at the edge of the square with the other members of the sequence.

He wore a brand-new purple-trimmed robe, with a silver badge pinned to his chest that symbolized his status as a candidate wizard. His face was calm, but his eyes held caution and curiosity.

"It's quite rare, the vice dean actually personally ordered all sequence members to participate in the welcoming ceremony."

"Tracy, who was standing next to me, said in a low voice. Her long brown hair was neatly piled up behind her head, which was quite different from her usual casual look:"

Who exactly are the visitors to the Crystal Spire?

Ron shook his head slightly: "I don't know, but judging from this level, he is at least an important figure of the Moon rank or above."

Of course, he wouldn't say that he already knew that a terrifying being of the Dark Sun level was coming.

His gaze swept across the square, noticing that almost all the official wizards were present.

Including the mentors who used to live in seclusion—Soren, Yuni, Maxim…

The most eye-catching figure was Vice Dean Hayek, who stood at the edge of the magic circle.

Today, he was unusually dressed in a formal purple robe with silver trim, his expression solemn and serious, his gaze frequently drifting towards the sky, clearly waiting for something.

A strange energy fluctuation suddenly came from the sky, so powerful that it almost froze the air in the entire square.

Everyone's gaze turned to the sky, including the formal wizards.

At first, it was just a small black dot, but as the distance closed, the outline gradually became clearer.

It was a huge gargoyle, at least seven or eight meters tall, with wingspans reaching an astonishing fifteen meters.

Its head is ferocious, its eyes glow with blood red light, and its entire body is covered with hard, stone-like scales.

However, unlike ordinary gargoyles, this behemoth's body appears to be made of some kind of translucent obsidian material, with shimmering light and complex mechanical structures faintly visible inside.

Each flap of its wings leaves a distorted energy trail in the air, while an energy field surrounds it, isolating it from external interference.

"That's... a gargoyle flying machine!"

One of the apprentices couldn't help but exclaim, his voice filled with awe and shock.

Ron's eyes widened in surprise.

The gargoyle flying machine, an iconic mode of transportation of the Crystal Spire, is frequently mentioned in books, but seeing it in person is still breathtaking.

This technology, which perfectly combines biology and mechanics, is far beyond the reach of ordinary alchemy and requires extremely deep research into the extraction and embedding of souls to achieve.

Every movement of the aircraft was smooth and natural; its wingspan, gliding, diving, and deceleration were all precise and graceful, as if it were a real living thing rather than an artificial creation.

"They say that inside this aircraft is a complete soul core, the soul of a wizard who 'voluntarily' offered up so that he could continue to serve the Crystal Spire..."

There was a hint of fear in Trish's voice.

When the gargoyle aircraft finally landed on the central magic circle, the entire plaza fell silent, and everyone held their breath.

Its enormous stone wings slowly folded, its red eyes gradually dimmed, and its massive body came to a complete stop, like a fine sculpture.

"There's a hatch on the back side..."

Ron keenly observed that it was indeed a cabin-like structure, hidden within the gargoyle's spine, with intricate runic seals along its edges.

With a soft metallic sliding sound, the hatch slowly opened, revealing a gentle golden light emanating from inside.

A figure emerged from it.

He was a man who looked to be about fifty years old, wearing a simple and plain gray robe without any fancy decorations or badges.

His face was plain, with a short gray beard on his square chin, and his hair was half white, but he combed it meticulously.
He is of medium height, neither tall nor short.

His demeanor was gentle and composed, just like that of an ordinary scholar.

If this person were placed in an ordinary crowd, no one would probably give him a second glance, and he might even be overlooked because he is too ordinary.

However, the instant his feet touched the ground—

An astonishing sense of oppression erupted from his body in an instant, sweeping across the entire square like a tsunami!

It wasn't a deliberate display, but a completely natural outflow of energy, as if his very existence was a huge energy vortex that couldn't be fully contained by the physical body.

This sense of magical oppression was a hundred times, or even a thousand times, stronger than any wizard he had ever encountered!
"Such powerful magical pressure!"

Ron felt that even breathing had become extremely difficult, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on his chest, squeezing his lungs to the point that they could hardly expand.

Even more terrifying, he discovered that his mental energy was completely out of control in the face of this fluctuation, becoming chaotic and disordered, making even simple spellcasting impossible.

Looking around, he realized that he wasn't alone; almost all the candidates for wizarding positions faced the same predicament:
Some people were almost kneeling on the ground, their faces pale and their bodies trembling;
Some people were sweating profusely, their eyes wide open, filled with terror.

Only the formal wizards, despite their solemn expressions and cold sweat beading on their foreheads, managed to maintain their composure.

But even their breathing became rapid, clearly indicating that they were under immense pressure from this force.

What's even more astonishing is that this energy leakage lasted for less than a second before the visitor completely contained it, reverting to his normal, ordinary appearance. The terrifying sense of oppression vanished instantly, as if it had never existed.

However, even in that brief moment, it was enough for everyone present to realize one fact:
The seemingly ordinary middle-aged man in front of you is a genuine Dark Sun-level wizard!
This is a terrifying power that surpasses the Moon-level and is close to that of a Grand Wizard!
"Welcome, Master Varen."

Vice Dean Hayek stepped forward to greet him, his voice unusually tinged with nervousness.

The Dark Sun Wizard, known as "Valen," nodded slightly, his voice gentle and calm, like a spring breeze caressing the surface of a lake.

"Hayek, long time no see. I've come to discuss the opening of the Bloodline Altar. I hope I haven't disrupted the school's normal order."

He spoke in a very ordinary way, without any airs, just like an ordinary scholar talking to a colleague.

"Not at all, your arrival is exactly what we've been looking forward to."

Hayek responded warmly, his tone even more respectful:
"Everything has been prepared according to your requirements. The energy nodes of the bloodline altar have all been awakened, awaiting your personal presiding."

Valen's gaze slowly swept across the square, his brown eyes seemingly able to see through any disguise.

"These are the members of the candidate wizard sequence?"

He asked, his tone tinged with interest.

"Yes, these are the most outstanding apprentices of our school, and they will participate in this trial of the Bloodline Altar."

Hayek explained, with a hint of pride in his voice:

“Several of them have shown extraordinary potential, especially the top ten members.”

Valen nodded slightly: "Very good. Young people are always full of hope. I look forward to their performance at the altar."

He turned to Hayek:

“Well then, old friend, let’s begin the ritual. Before that, I’d like to check the altar’s condition. When I last came to the Black Mist Jungle, I noticed that the energy nodes in the North Fourth District were somewhat unstable; hopefully, they’ve been repaired this time.”

"Of course, please come with me."

Hayek made an inviting gesture and led Valen away from the square, followed closely by the other important official wizards.

The tense atmosphere in the square gradually eased after the departure of several powerful wizards.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief, as if they had just gone through a life-or-death ordeal.

Many people's legs were still weak and they needed to hold onto the wall or their companions to stand up.

“It’s… so scary…”

Trish's voice still trembled slightly, her face remained pale, and fear lingered in her eyes:

"Is that the power of a Dark Sun-level wizard? Just standing there, he can make everyone in the square feel breathless?"

Ron didn't answer immediately; his heart was still pounding.

He even felt that the flow of his mental energy was slightly disrupted by the impact just now, and it would take some time to return to normal.

Is this the path I'm taking?

He asked himself, yearning, "Such terrifying power, is it possible for a lower-ranking person to fall to the ground and die simply from the leakage of its aura?"

"Ron? Are you alright?" Trish's voice interrupted his thoughts, her eyes filled with concern.

"Ah, sorry."

Ron snapped out of his daze, took a deep breath, and composed himself.
"Yes, that power... was completely beyond my imagination. In that instant, I even felt my mental strength being completely suppressed."

He looked around and noticed that many of the apprentices were even trembling slightly.

The terrifying memory of that moment may have left an indelible shadow on some people with weak wills.

“That Master Varen… he looks so ordinary, yet he possesses such terrifying power.”

Trish sighed softly, her eyes filled with both fear and admiration:
"A Dark Sun-level wizard, it is said that there are not many such beings in the entire Crystal Spire."

Ron nodded:
"What is most astonishing is his control over his power. The leakage of that power was clearly intentional, yet it was precisely controlled within a second, demonstrating both authority and preventing any real harm. This precise control is perhaps more awe-inspiring than the power itself."

"Why do you think he did that?" Trish asked curiously, her tone tinged with confusion.
"Such a powerful wizard shouldn't need to display his power in this way, right?"

"It's probably... to teach us a lesson."

Ron said thoughtfully, "For a true leader, a single thought can shatter the weak, body and soul."

The apprentices in the square gradually dispersed, returning to their respective posts or residences.

But Ron noticed a subtle change in everyone's eyes; some were more determined, their eyes burning with a desire for power.

The arrival of the Dark Sun Wizard changed the worldview of these young apprentices to some extent.

"Ron, what are you thinking about?" Trish asked curiously, noticing his absent-minded expression.

“I’m thinking…” Ron’s voice was low, a rare fervor flashing in his eyes:

"The Crystal Spire... what kind of place is that? To be able to cultivate such beings, the knowledge, resources, and opportunities there must far exceed what we can imagine."

Trish nodded, a hint of longing flashing in her eyes.

The two walked back in silence, each lost in thought about their future paths.

Occasionally, other apprentices would pass by and invariably cast envious glances at them.
The very qualification to participate in the Bloodline Altar Trial is an honor in itself.

(End of this chapter)