Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 214 At the Convergence of the Star Rings

"Alright, you don't need to be so careful with your words anymore."

Mrs. Allen raised her teacup and took a small sip:
"I am only fulfilling the responsibility of a guide, but you still have to walk the real road yourself."

Her gaze became deep and distant, as if she were looking at a distant place that only she could see:
“Every true wizard needs to find their own path. Whether it is the traditional path or the authentic path, the ultimate goal is to transcend the mundane and reach true knowledge.”

"I believe that with your talent and perseverance, you will definitely be able to forge your own path."

Ron was silent for a moment, then looked up:

"So, regarding astrology and timing, is there anything else we need to pay special attention to?"

"Indeed, there is." Mrs. Allen nodded, her gaze becoming serious.
"Breakthroughs in meditation methods cannot be achieved at any time, especially the authentic approach, which requires choosing specific astrological aspects."

She reached out and gently waved her hand in the air, and a star map appeared out of thin air, composed of countless points of light, slowly rotating:

"According to the astrological calendar, there are three 'planetary conjunctions' each year, which are magical peaks that occur every four months. At these times, not only will the concentration of magic reach its peak, but the channels connecting to higher beings will also open slightly."

On the star chart, several specific stars suddenly lit up, forming a peculiar ring-shaped structure.

"More than half a month has passed since the last meeting, and the next one will be three months from now—to be precise, ninety-seven days from now until midnight."

At that moment, the 'Hermit Star' and the 'Annihilation Cluster' will form a unique alignment, presenting the perfect opportunity to explore the path to authenticity.

As Ron listened, he silently calculated the time in his mind, his eyes gleaming with calculation.

Three months. With his current cultivation speed, plus the boost from "The Star Eater's Whispers," and the highly efficient meditation after the Time Guardian Pocket Watch cleansed the contamination, the time should be enough.

Moreover, if all goes well, he could complete the "Witcher" class change before then and gain some extra mental attribute bonuses.

This number may not be much, but it is an indispensable key to reaching the 4.9 mark.

His current value is slightly over 4.5, which is still quite a distance from the critical point.

The improvement of meditation skills becomes slower as you progress, and the attribute bonuses brought by the Witcher job change are undoubtedly the most reliable way to improve.

"There should be enough time."

He nodded slightly, his face calm, but in his heart he was already planning the specific actions to follow.

The pink-haired witch gave him a meaningful look, a knowing glint in her eerie green eyes:
"I don't know what special methods you have, but any shortcut has its limits and costs. I hope you understand what you're doing."

"There's one more thing I must warn you about."

Her voice suddenly turned serious and cold, like solid ice scraping against glass:

"Once you enter the authentic path of advancement environment, all the challenges you face are real."

"What do you mean?" Ron frowned slightly.

"It means exactly what it says." Mrs. Allen's eyes were sharp.
"If you die in that mental environment, your physical body will also perish. This is not an ordinary mental test, not a hallucination in meditation, but a real confrontation with a higher being."

Her voice was low, but every word was like a hammer blow:

"Countless geniuses have been forever left at the threshold of advancement because they underestimated this point. Those in high positions have no pity for the losers; they only use them as a source of energy and will not even leave you with your soul."

Ron did not respond immediately, his face remaining calm.

Mrs. Allen's warning was by no means alarmist.

The authentic path is so dangerous precisely because the cost of failure is too heavy—not just death, but the complete end of existence.

“I will be extra careful,” he finally said, his tone a mixture of certainty and caution: “If I find anything wrong, I will immediately stop the attempt.”

Mrs. Allen shook her head, seemingly not entirely satisfied with his response, but said nothing more.

She knew that ultimately, only Ron could make this choice.

There were soft footsteps outside the door, and Lilia gently knocked:

"Madam, the luminous grass in the backyard has been trimmed. May I... come in?"

The girl's voice was cautious and tentative, as if she was afraid of disturbing the conversation inside the room.

Mrs. Allen glanced at Ron, and seeing him nod slightly, she replied:

"Come in, little girl. The important business is over."

Lilia pushed open the door and entered, her gaze shifting between Ron and Mrs. Allen, her hands nervously twisting together.

Her gaze eventually settled on Mrs. Allen, clearly still somewhat unaccustomed to that young and beautiful face.

Mrs. Allen looked at her, a subtle glint in her eyes: "Speaking of which, I have another question to ask."

She turned to Ron: "Have you considered the matter of where this little girl will be placed?"

The sudden question startled Ron slightly. He had indeed been thinking about this issue, but he hadn't expected Mrs. Allen to bring it up so directly.

"I am preparing to go to the Crystal Spire."

He frankly stated, without any attempt to conceal it, "With Lilia's current abilities, I'm afraid she would find it difficult to adapt to the environment and pace there."

Upon hearing this, Lilia's face instantly turned pale.

But she quickly regained control of her expression, simply lowering her head and standing silently.

That subtle reaction, of course, did not escape the eyes of the two people present.

"So you're planning to just hand over the students you've already trained to me like this?"

Mrs. Allen raised an eyebrow, her tone slightly teasing: "This is a real bargain for me; I can just sit back and reap the benefits."

Lilia was clearly confused by the statement and looked at the two of them uncertainly.

She didn't understand why they were suddenly talking about her again, and she didn't dare to interrupt.

“I know this is a bit abrupt.”

Ron said softly, "But I believe that you, madam, are better able to give her the right guidance than I am."

Mrs. Allen gave a soft hum, turning her gaze to Lilia, a rare hint of tenderness flashing in her deep green eyes:
"To be honest, I quite like this little girl. She knows what kind of tea I like, remembers all my quirks, and knows how to keep quiet when I'm in a bad mood."

She reached out and gently tidied Lilia's stray hairs, a hint of barely perceptible tenderness in her gesture.

"Compared to those geniuses who only talk big, this down-to-earth personality is much more reassuring."

Lilia looked up in surprise, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She never imagined that this once strict store manager would evaluate her in this way.

If the thought of sending her back had left her feeling utterly hopeless, Mrs. Allen's words at this moment at least gave her a glimmer of hope.

"So, you have no objection to Lilia staying with you?"

Ron asked, his voice as calm as if he were discussing some trivial detail of the craft.

"Objection?" Mrs. Allen chuckled lightly.
"I would be more than happy to have such a diligent apprentice to help me manage the herbal medicine shop. Moreover, her special talent will definitely be an important asset in the future."

As she spoke, she glanced at Ron:
"As you know, the purer and longer-lasting a 'favor' is, the better. Although this girl's talent may seem ordinary, its strength lies in its persistence and stability, which is far superior to some flashy but impractical talents in the long run."

Watching Mrs. Allen and Lilia interact, a burden was finally lifted from Ron's heart.

Lilia's placement had always been a matter he had to handle properly, but now it seemed that this might actually be the best outcome for her.

Although he admired the diligent apprentice to some extent, he was also rational enough to understand that the path he was about to embark on was fraught with danger and uncertainty.
Lilia's abilities limited the possibility of her following.

Rather than putting her in danger, it would be better to hand her over to Mrs. Allen, who can provide a more stable environment.

“It’s getting late.” Ron stood up, his face expressionless, his voice flat: “Madam, thank you for your guidance and help.”

Mrs. Allen nodded: "Remember what I said, be careful and don't rush things."

The two bid farewell to Mrs. Allen and left the herbal medicine shop.

It was getting late, and the overcast sky foreshadowed the coming rain.

The streets were sparsely populated, making the atmosphere particularly somber.

On the way back, Ron could sense Lilia's silence.

The girl walked half a step behind him, her gaze always lowered, clearly deep in thought.

An awkward silence hung between them, as if some words were left unsaid, but neither dared to speak first.

“Lilia.” Finally, Ron broke the silence: “I need to talk to you.”

The girl stopped and waited quietly for him to say something next.

Ron turned to look at her, wanting to explain his decision, but he didn't know where to begin.

An unprecedented hesitation made him frown slightly.

To his surprise, Lilia spoke first: "Teacher, you don't need to explain."

Her voice was soft, yet surprisingly calm, unlike her usual cautious tone:

“I had already guessed that you were going to leave me with Mrs. Allen, and I understand why you did it.”

Ron paused slightly, "You already guessed it?"

Lilia nodded, a somewhat forced smile on her face:

"At your rate of growth, a student like me really can't keep up, and I'll only become a burden to you."

She slightly raised her head, her eyes flashing with a hint of stubbornness, not the disappointment Ron had expected:
"Actually, I had long anticipated this day. From the moment I entered the workshop and you demonstrated those amazing spells, I knew that the gap between us would only widen."

Ron gazed quietly at the tall girl before him, a rare and complex emotion welling up within him.

While he prepared many explanations and words of comfort, the other party had already seen through everything.

This understanding and acceptance, on the contrary, made him feel a subtle sense of guilt, but he quickly suppressed it.

“I don’t want you to feel guilty or troubled because of me,” Lilia continued, her voice growing increasingly firm.
“Staying by Mrs. Allen’s side might indeed be the best option for me. She is a remarkable potions master, and… she doesn’t seem as cold and ruthless as she appears.”

Her words revealed a girl's open-mindedness, but Ron could catch a glimpse of moisture in her eyes and her clenched fists. Just then, the dark clouds in the sky seemed unable to hold their moisture any longer, and began to drizzle.

Ron took two raincoats out of his storage bag and handed one to Lilia:
"Put them on, it looks like it's going to rain harder."

Lilia took the raincoat and skillfully draped it over her shoulders.

On many such days, the girl always stood quietly beside him.

She has a low profile, but she always fills in various needs perfectly, like a shadow blending into the background.

Do you remember the weather when we first met at the workshop?

Lilia suddenly asked, her voice almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.

Ron paused for a moment, then recalled the scene from that day: "The sky was clear and blue."

“Yes, the sky is clear.” Lilia repeated softly, looking up at the gray sky:

“That day the sun was shining brightly. It was my first time stepping into the workshop, and I was filled with anticipation and trepidation. But every time I returned to the herbal medicine shop, it was always gloomy and rainy, just like now.”

Ron didn't know how to respond, so he could only walk alongside her.

The rain intensified, pounding against the raincoat with a dull thud, as if some unspoken emotion was being poured out.

"I want to tell you," the girl's voice sounded particularly muffled in the rain, "that I will not give up."

She stopped and turned to look Ron straight in the eyes.

Rainwater slid slowly down the edge of her raincoat, forming small puddles at her feet.
“I know I’m too weak, which is why I’m a burden. But I will work harder until one day I can catch up with you.”

At that moment, Ron saw a kind of unwavering determination in the girl's eyes.

She is no longer that docile girl who always kept her head down, but a pioneer who has found her own path.

This transformation of will is astonishing, as if some long-hidden spark has finally begun to ignite.

"Let's go back quickly," he finally said. "The rain is getting heavier."

Lilia nodded and followed in his footsteps.

The rain formed a blurry curtain around the two of them, making the boundary between the past and the future somewhat hazy and uncertain.

………………

Back at the workshop, Ron did not stop to rest.

Instead, they went straight to the training ground and began intensive spell practice.

Time was of the essence; he had to complete all preparations before the "Star Ring Conjunction" arrived.

Mastery of magic is essential for becoming a formal wizard.

In particular, the authentic path he chose requires mastery of at least three spells.

Currently, his "Sonic Oscillation" and "Radiant Ring" are both close to a breakthrough, only a few experience points are needed.

“We must overcome this final obstacle.” Ron frowned slightly, his eyes flashing with calm determination.

He stood in the center of the training field, took a deep breath, and began to construct the spell model for "sonic oscillation".

Mental energy flows through the space of consciousness like mercury, forming an extremely complex energy structure.

While the release of "Sonic Oscillation" appears effortless, as if one can create sonic ripples with a wave of the hand, its internal magical structure is actually exceptionally intricate.

To create vibrational ripples in the air that are neither visible nor capable of causing substantial damage.

It is also necessary to precisely inject mental energy into each node according to a specific frequency and intensity.

Ron adjusted the parameters in the spell model again and again, trying to find the best way to allocate energy.

Each fine-tuning requires extremely high mental control; the slightest carelessness can lead to the loss of all previous efforts.

Sweat dripped from his forehead, soaking his collar, but his gaze remained focused, never daring to relax for a moment.

After several attempts, the semi-transparent panel finally gave some feedback:
[Sonic Oscillation (Proficiency) Experience Points +1]

[Current Progress: Sonic Oscillation (Proficient 98/100)]

Outside the training ground, Lilia saw the red sign hanging on the door, sighed softly, and walked back.

She prepared to put the cooked food back into the insulated compartment.

………………

During several days of intensive training, Ron closed his eyes, his mental energy flowing through his body like a gentle stream.

"Focus your attention," he muttered to himself, his hands forming a spell model in front of his chest.

As he channeled his spiritual energy, the surrounding air began to distort slightly, and a ring of ripples, almost invisible to the naked eye, spread out from his hand.

Ron controls the frequency and intensity of the ripples, causing them to interweave and overlap in various complex ways, forming specific interference patterns.

"Almost there." He frowned slightly, and fine beads of sweat had already formed on his forehead.

The continuous output of his mental energy made him feel slightly tired, but he did not stop to rest. Instead, he began to try more complex combinations of frequencies.

The ripples no longer spread in a single direction, but instead form a structure similar to a stereo sound field, allowing attacks to be launched simultaneously from multiple angles.

A full hour has passed, and the progress bar is still stuck at the last two points.

This kind of bottleneck is very common, especially at critical moments when skills are about to break through.

Ron was not in a hurry and continued to try different combinations of frequencies, hoping to find a breakthrough.

After countless attempts, the semi-transparent panel finally provided feedback:
[Sonic Oscillation Experience Points +1]

[Current Progress: Sonic Oscillation (Proficient 99/100)]

"Just one more step," Ron muttered to himself, his voice a mix of excitement and pressure.

The last step is often the most difficult.

Just like his basic swordsmanship, which is stuck at 99/100 experience points, he is unable to break through the final bottleneck.

In this situation, simply repeating the practice is no longer enough to make progress; one needs to understand the essence of magic and innovate.

He closed his eyes and began to organize his understanding of sound waves.

Sound waves are a form of energy transfer that propagates through the vibration of molecules in a medium (such as air).

Normal sound waves can only exert a weak pressure on the surface of an object.

However, "sonic oscillations" can interfere with the structure of matter at the microscopic level, causing substantial damage.

This is because the sound waves in the spell are infused with a special magical frequency, which can resonate with the inherent frequency of matter, thereby amplifying the amplitude and achieving a destructive effect.

Resonance, etc.?

Ron's thoughts suddenly froze on this keyword.

Resonance is a physical phenomenon that occurs when the frequency of an external force approaches the natural frequency of an object, causing the amplitude of vibration to increase dramatically and the energy transfer efficiency to improve significantly.

However, his previous "sonic oscillations" did not seem to make full use of this principle.

He kept trying to increase the destructive power by increasing the energy input, but ignored the possibility of adjusting the frequency to achieve the best resonance effect.

Once this idea arises, it's like a seed taking root and sprouting quickly in fertile soil.

However, to verify this idea, he needs to observe a real resonance phenomenon as a reference.

Suddenly, he remembered Dale's Enchanting Song ability—a special sound wave that could directly affect the mind of the target.

"Dale!" Ron called out through the mental link, his voice filled with a rare urgency.

A moment later, the little siren gracefully entered the training ground, her golden eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation: "Master, are you looking for me?"

"I need you to demonstrate Meige's abilities."

Ron said bluntly, his voice calm and focused: “It’s not about me, it’s about the rock.”

Dale looked at the solid stone Ron was pointing to with a puzzled expression, but still nodded obediently.
"Yes, Master. But what's the use? Stones have no mind and can be deceived."

“Just treat it as an experiment,” Ron replied curtly, his eyes flashing with a cold, calculating light.

Dale took a deep breath and then began to chant.

Those were not syllables that could be described by any human language, but rather an ancient siren spell.

The sound contains subtle rhythms and cadences, like the ebb and flow of the tides, both regular and full of changes.

As the chanting continued, a subtle vibration appeared on the surface of the stone, as if countless tiny ripples were flowing across its surface.

Ron observed intently, using his mental powers to perceive vibrational patterns that were invisible to the naked eye.

Through this dual perception, he discovered that the sound waves emitted by Dale did indeed resonate with the stone to some extent, although the effect was limited.

This discovery was like a bolt of lightning, instantly igniting the inspiration in his mind.

So that's why the siren's enchanting song can affect matter and mind—it's because they can accurately capture the target's "natural frequency" and then adjust the frequency of their own emitted sound waves to achieve the best resonance effect.

It's like a key finding a perfectly fitting lock—when the frequencies match perfectly, the efficiency of energy transfer increases exponentially.

"Thank you, Dale."

Ron nodded his thanks, a rare smile appearing on his lips: "You can go back now."

Dale looked curiously at the stone, then at Ron, her golden eyes filled with doubt.

But she obediently nodded and left the training ground.

Ron sat cross-legged on the ground again, closed his eyes, and began to completely reconstruct the spell model of "Sonic Oscillation".

(End of this chapter)